The Prince and Me
by willowaus
Summary: No one ever said love was easy. Especially not when the person you fall for turns out to be a prince. Klaroline AU based on the movie The Prince and Me.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this is a birthday present for the lovely Melissa (goldcaught). This is part 1 of 2. I'll post part 2 as soon as I'm finished with it (probably next week). And yes, it's based on the movie of the same name.**

* * *

Caroline Forbes didn't believe in happy endings.

She had, once upon a time, but that was several heartaches and disappointments ago. Back before her father had practically dropped out of her life, moving on with his new family even when he'd sworn after the divorce that he would always be there for her.

Just like her highschool boyfriend and supposed forever love Tyler had said college wouldn't come between them. Only for her to head down to his university one weekend to find him in bed with a brunette who's name she didn't even know.

Sitting around and wallowing for too long had never been her style though. There was too much to do, too many things to focus on, and like Scarlet O'Hara was known to say, 'after all, tomorrow is another day'.

So Caroline had decided that from then on she would create her own happy ending instead of relying on others to help her see it through. Others were way too unreliable, which was really something she should have ground into her head ages before considering another of her mottos had always been 'if you want something done right you have to do it yourself'. But part of her was also a hopeless romantic, loving the possibilities, believing in love and it was hard to turn her back on that, even if only for a little while.

But another heartbreak was something she had no intention in dealing with until she was finished with school.

Of course, fate never seemed to really like to play fair; especially not in regards to matters of the heart.

Caroline's focus was school and right after that was her mom and her friends. And no amount of dimples or dreamy accent was going to make her deviate from that path. Especially not when all of that hotness came in one very arrogant package.

So not worth it.

She'd dealt with this kind of guy plenty of times in her life. That type that thought they were superior to everyone and sex on legs all at once. Thinking all they needed was to put on a little charm, smile and they'd easily slip into whichever girl's pants of their choosing. It might have worked on sixteen year old Caroline, but it definitely wasn't going to on her nineteen year old self.

She'd even been polite as could be at first. All sweet southern girl smiles while her eyes had been steely, utilizing that 'don't fuck with me' look that used to make the girls on her squad tremble in fear when they messed up a routine.

So really was it her fault when she sprayed him with the water line from the bar after that terribly sexist pick up line?

His stunned look as his apparent friends finally dragged him out if the bar only made her silent victory that much sweeter.

Until Monday when he plopped down bedside her in chemistry class and was branded her lab partner and permanent thorn in her side.

"Don't look so glum, sweetheart," he drawled out, damn dimples on display again before that damn smirk blossomed on his face. "I'm sure we'll be able to create quite a bit of explosive reactions together."

She closed her eyes at that, groaning at how horrible of a line that was before piercing him with another glare. "Look," she hesitated for a second, realizing that she didn't actually know his name.

"Klaus," he offered up, and Caroline thought that tongue lick thing should seriously be made illegal to do in class.

"I am not going to have you mess up my gpa because you apparently can't take the hint that not every girl wants you and your dimples. I need to keep above a 3.0 to hold onto my scholarship and because I have standards I consider dropping below a damn 3.8 to be sacrilegious. So keep your flirty little comments to yourself, be on time, and if you can't do your part without screwing it all up then just sit back and let me handle the chemicals," she snapped at him, thankful that the lab was over and everyone else was already picking up their things to leave.

Whatever his response it definitely wasn't supposed to be him smiling in amusement at her. Caroline rolled her eyes and shoved her book back into her bag before sliding off the stool. She wanted to be as far away from his as humanly possible as quick as she could.

"I'll see you on Wednesday, sweetheart," Klaus called after her and it took every ounce of strength she had not to flip him off as she strolled out of the room.

* * *

In some ways America wasn't at all living up to Klaus' expectations while in other ways it was definitely becoming a surprisingly nice treat. He had known it wouldn't be easy to leave behind all the trappings of his ostentatious upbringing, even his time in boarding school hadn't quite prepared him for the utter desolate existence that a New York city college dorm was. His closet back home was far bigger than the cramped space he was forced to share with another young man whose cleanliness was questionable on most days. In fact, Klaus doubted there was any room in the palace that was as small as this one was.

But it was the fact that he was finally free from all of that life that had him enjoying what he considered to be squalor like conditions. It had taken a lot of cajoling and quick witted persuasion to get his parents to finally allow him to leave the comforts of their small kingdom in Europe to pursue his own dreams. Or well, he had tried doing it the nice way and then when that hadn't worked, he'd gone behind their backs to enroll and simply taken the money left to him by his grandmother to finance the whole endeavor.

He wasn't the one in line to the throne anyway, not even second in line, and Klaus was tired of playing by their rules and being under the constant demands of either of his parents for keeping up appropriate appearances. Leaving it all behind to pursue an art degree-utilizing his grandmother's maiden name to keep hidden from the trail of paparazzi-was needed and Klaus refused to feel guilty.

Except for leaving behind Rebekah and Henrik who both missed him terribly. But Facetime was an incredible invention and he was able to keep in contact with the two of them, easing some of his guilt.

His plans had included enjoying the vast amount of beautiful women at college, firmly believing in all of the stereotypes that films continued to perpetuate about how easy it was to get laid in any American college setting. That particular plan had come crashing to a halt because of the blonde beauty who seemed to be immune to all of his crap.

Caroline Forbes.

He truly enjoyed riling her up, going back and forth with her for hours over a chemical equation that they were trying to perfect. She was unlike anyone he'd ever met and Klaus found himself wanting to impress her, to get to know this girl with sunshine hair better than he did, which was the only reason he even bothered to show up and actually put any effort into the chemistry class.

A knock at his door alerted him to her arrival and he pushed himself up from the bed where he'd been working on a sketch and headed over to open it. "I can't believe you forgot to get us a study caralle," Caroline grumbled as he stepped back to let her into the room.

"Sorry about the mess," Klaus rubbed the back of his neck and ushered her toward the cleaner side of the room, his side. "My roommate hasn't quite learned what it means to be cleanly." He really should have rethought having her over. Maybe taken her to the coffee shop down the block but Klaus had a feeling that would have been deemed too noisy. At least the floor he was on was typically quiet during the day.

She sat down at the desk he had pushed up near the bed and dropped her bag onto the floor. "My roommate my freshman year was way messier, don't worry about it," she assured as she scrambled to pull out her notebook filled with her calculations.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Klaus offered as he opened up the mini fridge. "Bottled water, this odd cold tea drink."

"I'll take a water." Caroline caught the bottle he tossed to her and placed her notebook down on the bed, glimpsing the sketchbook. "Is this yours?"

He hadn't actually meant for her to see that, wasn't quite sure he wanted to hear her honest opinions on what lay inside. He'd learned that Caroline Forbes was honest in practically everything she did. But she was already flipping through the book and Klaus watched her with growing trepidation as she took her time examining everything before looking over at the painting that hung over his bed.

"Did you do that too?" she asked and he nodded. It was on the tip of his tongue to say he had a painting in a museum back in his country, but that would be opening a door he wanted to stay closed. "It's beautiful. Is it a real place?"

"A garden from my childhood," Klaus told her as he sat down on the bed and nudged at her notebook. "But enough about my art, let's get cracking on these numbers, hmm?"

* * *

It was an odd turning point, but somehow something as simple as a glimpse at his art had gotten him a bit of an in with Caroline. She wouldn't go out on a date with him, had firmly told him no when he'd finally gotten around to asking, but long conversations in coffee shops that started with them bouncing ideas off one another for a future project and then turned into the two trading childhood stories had become a thing. And maybe he'd started eating at the cafeteria near her dorm building for breakfast and dinner (even if it was twenty minutes from his own building) on the chance that she'd see him and join him for meals, which was becoming more frequent as the semester went on.

"Is the food in the cafeteria by you really that bad?" she asked, amusement dancing in her eyes as she sat down beside him at the table. "Cause I swear the rumorville says you guys have the best salad bar."

"The company there is rather dreadful though," Klaus replied and she rolled her eyes at that, nudging him with her elbow. "I'm only telling the truth, love. I'd much rather trek over here to spend my time eating with someone I enjoy than have the best salad bar in the world."

"Enjoy huh?" she arched a brow as she twisted her noodles onto her fork.

"Quite a bit." More than he'd ever enjoyed spending time with anyone else. "Even if for some reason she can't quite see how remarkable she is."

"Or maybe I'm just too smart to fall for your little seduction routine," Caroline pointed out and Klaus grinned at that. He couldn't deny that was one of the things that had drawn her to him initially. He did so love a challenge.

"I know," he simply grinned and let her delve back into her spaghetti. "Doesn't mean I'll stop enjoying my time with you."

"You're just lucky that I like spending time with you too," Caroline murmured, cheeks reddening slightly as she realized she'd said that out loud.

"I'm well aware of that," Klaus replied before snagging a meatball off of her plate so she could overcome her embarrassment to glare at him.

"So, what? Its my beauty that astounds you?" she asked in a mock variation of his accent that had him chuckling. "What? I know I'm hot." One didn't win Miss Mystic Falls or become captain of the cheer squad without that quality.

"I can't deny that your beauty is what initially attracted me to you," Klaus admitted and he watched her nod, could practically see her lumping him in with so many others who'd only seemed to take notice of her for her beauty. "However, your strength, your steadfast determination in practically everything you do, this...light you have about you is what has kept me interested. You're smart, funny, able to match wits with me in ways no one else has and you have a laugh that I could listen to all day long."

She stared at him, overwhelmed by all that he was saying, all that he saw in her before she swallowed and quickly put back into place all of the walls he'd nearly toppled over. "Like I said, I'm way too smart to be seduced by you."

"Well that is why I like you," Klaus replied with a grin before they both went back to eating their lunches.

* * *

Breakfast and dinner became a daily occurrence, the two of them spending a considerable time at the library together as well, quizzing one another on the formulas and chemical reactions that they needed to know. But Caroline was firmly out of his grasp for anything more than conversation and while Klaus enjoyed the way she would bite her lip when she was listening to him, or the way her gaze would become unmistakably flirty when they chatted, leaned into his touch when his hand drifted down her spine or along her arm as they walked through the city, she was steadfast in her refusal to date anyone.

He wanted to know who must have hurt her so badly to have put her off relationships, to have been the cause of that slight dulling of her light whenever anyone asked her out and he'd been privy to a number of others trying it, reeling in the possessive feeling that seemed to stir in him whenever anyone did.

Caroline said she was too busy for the pitfalls that came with romance and Klaus wanted to strangle whoever had been the one to cause her put those kind of walls around her heart. Klaus knew she felt the electricity between them. He could feel it every time the two of them got just a little too close to one another, hands brushing as they went to pour one liquid or another into a flask, the way their eyes locked holding one another's gazes before her breath would catch and she'd hurriedly excuse herself from whatever they were doing.

Klaus didn't want to push her though. Pushing could mean losing her completely, it could mean going back to the stiff formality of being only lab partners, and he didn't want to go back to the paltry existence before he knew what her carefree laugh sounded like.

There was a give and take that he'd never had with anyone else. Where usually he conquered, with her he tread carefully, realizing early that his usual methods didn't work at all in regards to Caroline.

"I can't believe it's already going to be Thanksgiving break," Caroline sighed as she sank down onto the stool beside him, breaking his inner thoughts. "What are you doing for it since I'm guessing it's not really something you celebrate." He quirked a brow at her. "Your accent is so not American, Mr. Still Hasn't Told Me Where He's From In Europe. Though you've definitely mentioned Europe before."

"I booked a room at one of the hotels," Klaus told her with a shrug. Maybe he'd visit one of the various galleries again when he wasn't drinking away the contents of the mini bar in the room. "It'll give me a chance to catch up on sleep. Maybe do some reading."

"Seriously?" Caroline quirked her lips, uncertain how she felt about that for vacation plans. At his nod she felt a growing pit in her stomach, the thought of Klaus alone for the holidays not sitting right at all for her. "Okay, it's not much and you'll have to sleep on the pull out sofa which isn't like the most comfortable thing in the world-though it's better than some of the dorm beds-but would you like to come home with me for the week? It's a small town, so like no big parade but we could watch it on TV and there's a little parade that my town does which is quirky as hell. Like, no really, they walk turkeys down the street. My town is kind of weird with its traditions. My mom makes a killer turkey though and I make the best cranberry sauce and we have lots of other fixings. The two of us can like never eat all of it so you'd really be doing her a favor so she's not living off turkey leftovers for you know, if you want, I'd love if you came with me."

Klaus had always found her rambling to be adorable, but there was something extra endearing with it that time. He reached over to brush a strand of hair off of her safety goggles and grinned. "There's no place I'd rather be, love."

Her answering smile as their professor finally walked in had Klaus grinning back just as brightly and wondering if this was another turning point for the two of them.

* * *

To say that Mystic Falls was quirky was a bit of an understatement. Caroline loved that aspect of her hometown, had enthusiastically helped plan out more than one of the small town events as a teenager, but the thought of Klaus actually seeing those crazy events was causing her stomach to twist itself into a number of knots.

Add in the fact that her mother-who usually didn't ask too many questions about anything-was suddenly trying to grill her every second that she could after Caroline had informed her that she was bringing a friend home and well...to say she was nervous about Thanksgiving was a massive understatement.

She hadn't been this wracked with nerves in a long time. No matter how much she kept trying to remind herself that she was done with relationships until college was over it didn't seem to stop her stupid feelings from continuing to grow. It'd been so easy when she'd seen him as just an asshole, when he'd been the irritating lab partner that she couldn't quite get rid of. But he'd stopped being that weeks ago and somehow become a fixture in her life that had her laughing and smiling more than she had in months, bringing out pieces of the hopeless romantic that she'd been working so hard at keeping locked away.

Thanksgiving should have been a nice break away from him, a chance to build her walls back up. The thought of Klaus alone in the city didn't sit right with her-even if New York city was a pretty brilliant place to be. She remembered a painting he'd shown her once, the sense of loneliness she'd gotten from it something she hadn't been able to shake, and she didn't like to think of him sitting around a hotel room with that loneliness wrapped around him.

Not to mention she'd miss him. She could at least admit that in her head even if there was absolutely no way she could say it out loud.

"You weren't kidding about a parade with actual turkeys," Klaus murmured beside her as they sat in the car, waiting for the last of the parade to pass by so they could continue on to her childhood home.

She readied herself to say something about it, maybe defend it, but when she looked over at him she didn't see his telltale smirk but an actual smile. He was amused but in a good way and she grinned back at him. "Welcome to Mystic Falls, home of a lot of quirky customs."

"As Miss Mystic Falls I'm guessing it part of your duties to be in it, no?" he asked as she was finally able to drive again.

"I had to ride various floats for pretty much every parade that year. Though my first Thanksgiving parade was as a turkey. I was seven," Caroline shook her head, remembering how excited she'd been as a kid for that.

"Are there pictures?" Now that was definitely his mischievous tone.

Caroline shook her head. "Knowing you, I'm sure you can charm my mom into scrounging one up."

"Oh I don't know. Forbes women don't seem to fall so easily for my charms," Klaus replied and her grip tightened on the steering wheel at that.

If only he knew how close she was to actually falling.

* * *

Klaus tried to keep his attention on Caroline's mother, to not glance back toward the bedroom she'd gone into, to change after their car ride down to Virginia. He'd made use of the study set up as his room to do so as well, but it seemed that Caroline was taking a bit more time, leaving him alone with Liz Forbes who'd been scrutinizing him since they'd pulled into the car port behind the house.

"What is it that you do?" Liz asked as she looked him over.

"I'm a college student," Klaus offered up, instantly hating his reply. Was that snarky? He didn't mean to be snarky to her mother. That was definitely not going to be a good first impression. "Art."

"That doesn't sound very profitable," Liz remarked.

Liz wrinkled her nose for a second at that, obviously not impressed by his choice in major. It was taking all of his effort to clamp down a pithy response, not liking being backed into a corner like this. It was instinct to lash out, to try and remind that he had more power and prestige in his pinky than the other person. But that was definitely not how he wanted to come across to Liz.

"I suppose that depends on how good I am in the medium I choose to use," he replied, voice a bit short, but she simply nodded.

"And your parents? What do they do?" she continued, and that was a question he hated. He didn't want to lie but he wasn't ready to admit the truth either, wasn't all that sure she'd believe him even if he did.

"They're self-employed." That was basically the truth. "Doing quite well for themselves this quarter." The royal family's popularity was on the rise again.

"Do you have siblings?" That was a much easier question to answer.

It even made him smile. "I have five. Two older brothers and then two younger ones as well as a younger sister. There was another older one, but he died when I was young."

"What do you want to do with your life?" she stared at him, obviously waiting for an answer and Klaus didn't think anyone had ever made him sweat as much over a question like the woman before him did.

He could see where Caroline got her steadfast determination from and would have admired it if it wasn't being used on him.

"Okay, mom," Caroline chided as she peeked out of her room. "I'm pretty sure that's enough interrogation. You could have at least waited until he'd been here for more than like five minutes." She headed over to Klaus and looped her arm with his, surprising and delighting him all at once. I'm taking Klaus down to the festival."

"I'll see you both there later. We're making sure our presence is known so we don't have a repeat of last year," Liz sighed before turning and heading back toward the kitchen.

Klaus glanced at Caroline, wondering what could have happened in the small town to require police presence at a family festival. "A group of teens decided it'd be fun to try and get the turkeys drunk," Caroline explained and just like that the tension he'd been feeling evaporated completely, unable to help but laugh at the absurdity of it all, thankful that to hear her giggle along with him.

"Let me grab my coat that I completely forgot in my room.."

Klaus followed her, not wanting to give Liz another opportunity to corner him in the house. He smiled as he took in Caroline's childhood room, watched her bypass the coat that lay on the bed and head toward her closet instead, quietly trying to figure out which of the two in there she wanted to wear. He walked around her room, spotting photographs of people he'd seen photos of before and others that he hadn't heard mention. He tried not to focus on one particular photograph of Caroline in her cheerleading uniform, though there was little doubt that the image would be playing out in his fantasies later that night.

A map of the world against the wall was what caught his eye though, little pins dotted various places around the world. Some were red, a lot were blue. "The red ones are for where I've been," Caroline murmured when she saw him looking at it. "Pretty much just along the eastern seaboard of the US and practically all of them once I hit college, but it's a start."

"I could take you." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself; the fact that he adamantly meant them startling him for a moment. Her incredulous look though had Klaus continuing. "Rome, Paris, Tokyo. Wherever you want to start."

He wanted to memorize the dots, catalogue them away and ensure that Caroline was able to change them all to red, to be able to travel to all of them with her. Maybe even see some of them with brand new eyes.

She arched a brow at him, clearly not buying it, and why should she? As far as she knew he was a college student barely scraping by. "Uh huh," she murmured, though he could see her yearning for that to be a real offer.

Caroline took hold of his hand though and tugged him to follow her out of the room. "Enough dream vacation talk. We need to get to the festival before all of the cheesecake on a stick is gone."

Klaus grinned at that, letting her pull him along. "As the lady wishes." He squeezed her hand as they exited the house, enjoying the fact that she hadn't let go. "Though, just so you know I don't doubt for a minute that you'll see everything you want, Caroline. You're a very determined person."

She simply grinned before tugging him in the direction they needed to go, ready to show him a little small town fun.

* * *

" _And_ she stole my bear," Bonnie added, sending the entire table into another round of laughter as the pitcher of beer around to refill their drinks.

"You so have no proof that I was the bear napper!" Caroline protested with a shocked little gasp that only had Klaus chuckling harder. "Though I will say that he had it coming."

"How exactly does a stuffed animal have a kidnapping coming, sweetheart?" Klaus asked as he focused in on her. She was sitting next to him in the booth, practically no room between the two of them on account of the amount of space Elena was taking up on the other side of her. His arm rested against the bath of the booth and she hadn't objected to that, nor did she say anything or move away from his hand that was touching her hair.

"It's eyes weren't right. Way too beady," Caroline told him with a bright smile before everyone started laughing again. Her body moved toward his a little more, hand pressing against his chest as the server finally arrived with their food. "But just because I didn't like it-"

"Mr. Cuddles," Bonnie interrupted, waving a fry at her friend. "He had a name."

"- _like_ I was saying, just cause I didn't like Mr. Cuddles doesn't mean I had a hand in his going missing," Caroline wrinkled her nose at her friend before nodding toward Elena. "Besides, pretty sure it was this one who wanted to have him marry her poodle toy."

"He was the only animal that would fit the top hat we had," Elena reminded as she pressed her hand to her swollen belly. "Baby J doesn't like all this talk about bears."

"That's right future little goddaughter, you give your mama a rough time for bear-napping," Caroline patted Elena's belly. "But come on let's go get that husband of yours to make you a drink to help your stomach settle again." She turned to look back at Klaus, who nodded, letting her know he'd be fine with her friends as she followed Elena out of the booth and toward the bar where Matt was working.

"I don't think I've seen Caroline laugh like that in months," Bonnie commented once the other two were out of reach. Klaus turned his attention back to her, noting the nod of approval. "I don't know what you're doing but keep it up. But know if you do hurt her my grandmother makes powerful voodoo dolls and I will happily use one against you."

"I thought you didn't believe in that?" Stefan pointed out.

Bonnie shrugged. "I don't, but I would for Care and that would be enough for the magic to work. Or so I'm told."

"I've no intention of doing anything to hurt her," Klaus assured, though that didn't mean he wouldn't in the future. He seemed to do end up messing up any relationship he did embark on. Usually on purpose when it was becoming too natural, too good of a thing to hold onto.

Bonnie had been about to reply when Stefan nudged her and nodded toward the entrance. "Is he really here?" Bonnie asked, glaring hard at someone. "Jackass."

Klaus glanced over, wondering who had caught the two's attention. There wasn't anything remarkable about the young man, the cocky attitude that exuded from him something he'd seen countless times before. "Who is it?"

"That's Tyler Lockwood," Stefan replied. "Former Mystic High champion quarterback. Current offensive player for Maryland State."

"Caroline's ex who she found sleeping with Hayley when she went to surprise him for his birthday last year," Bonnie muttered, still glaring daggers at the man. "Together for four years. Would have been three if he'd let her break up with him before college like she'd planned on because long distance isn't always the greatest and she figured if they were meant to be that they'd reconnect later on. But he'd insisted they would be fine, that they'd beat the odds. Turned out he was cheating on her with Hayley for the last two years."

Klaus stared at the young man, wondering why in the world anyone would have dared to cheat on Caroline. How whoever she sought out to be her boyfriend didn't love and cherish her like she deserved? He was barely listening to the Stefan and Bonnie speak anymore, only picking out bits of the story as they continued. His focus on Tyler who was heading toward Caroline and Elena. The urge to wallop the guy was nearly overwhelming, but he didn't think Caroline would appreciate that kind of response.

"It's why we were so surprised to find out she brought you here. She'd sworn off guys for the next few years, wanting to focus on college. Became a shell of who she used to be," Bonnie murmured with a sigh. "But then she shows up here with you and I can see the sunshine girl she used to be before that mess."

Klaus saw Caroline tense up as soon as her old boyfriend greeted her, her entire body language screaming her annoyance. He clenched his fists, ready to head over but Caroline muttered something in reply before she turned away from Tyler, rolling her eyes as she headed back to the group.

"Sorry, Care, I didn't even know he was in town," Stefan apologized, while Bonnie continued to glare in Tyler's direction.

"It's fine, Stefan," Caroline assured as she slid back into the booth beside Klaus. "He stopped having power over my life a while ago." She turned to look at Klaus, smiling softly at the concern she saw, before nodding toward his plate. "Still think this was a better idea than a hotel in New York?"

"Like I've said before, love, I'm in it for the company," Klaus replied, thoroughly enjoying how she beamed at that, before snagging a fry from her plate.

* * *

It had been the first time Caroline had come across Tyler Lockwood and not felt an intense sense of betrayal, not hurt to her very core or been engulfed by anger. She'd run through the gamut of emotions in regards to his cheating on her, closing herself off from the pain of it all, but she hadn't felt anything beyond annoyance with him this time. She wouldn't let him dull the great night she was having with people who actually cared for her and that she cared for back.

Turning from Tyler to see Klaus, to see the concern, the worry in his face, had struck a chord with her and Caroline could practically feel the last of her walls being chipped away. They stuck around for a few more hours with her friends, conversation easily flowing between everyone, but once it was time to head out Caroline hadn't quite been ready to call it a night.

Klaus had been more than happy to follow her lead, walking with her through the town and bypassing her house to head into the forest a bit. "We're not going to be digging up poor Mr. Cuddles and then hiding him at Elena's now, are we love?" he asked after a few minutes and Caroline pressed her hand to her chest as she gasped at that insinuation.

"That would imply I know where that bear is buried," she pointed out before stopping at some of the old ruins from one of the founding houses of the town.

"Don't you?" Klaus quirked a brow at her before looking around at where they'd ended up. He sat down beside her on the ground, wondering what exactly was going through her head at that moment. Sometimes he thought he could read her and at the others he was at loss for what she was thinking, what she might do.

Caroline remembered a quote about not needing another human being to make your life complete. She'd held onto that first part of the quote for dear life, reciting it repeatedly as she fine tuned her focus, tried to keep control over her emotions when they'd wanted desperately to crash down around her. But she'd ignored the latter part of it that talked about how having someone to hold onto and love you was one of the most calming things in the world and she couldn't push that aside anymore.

She might not _need_ a man to make her feel complete, to feel happy; but that didn't mean she couldn't accept one into her life when he did make her happy.

"I'm guessing that Bonnie and Stefan filled you in on Tyler, huh?" she asked as they leaned back against the stone structure. "Can't believe it took me two years to figure out he was cheating."

Klaus turned to face her, not liking how she was beating herself up over that. He reached over, thumb brushing against her cheek. "He was an idiot, love. Not you. Hopefully you see that."

"It's in the past," she murmured, leaning into the touch before clasping her hand over his. "At least I found out before ever becoming Mrs. Tyler Lockwood."

"That would have been a tragedy," Klaus agreed. "And you came out of it stronger. Might have taken some time, but you didn't let it beat you."

Her lips twisted at that, not quite sure he was right. She'd let what had happened affect her for so long. "You're strong, sweetheart. Beautiful, as you already know. Full of light."

Klaus didn't expect for her to shift toward him, for her hand to release his and curl around the back of his neck, before she pressed forward, kissing him softly. He was stunned for a few moments, mind not quite processing that she'd initiated the kiss, that she wasn't pulling away from him, before his hands moved to draw along her jaw, mouth chasing afters hers as she pulled back to catch her breath.

"I got tired of hiding from how I feel," Caroline murmured as Klaus kissed the corner of her mouth, her jaw, his nose brushing along her cheek as she twisted a hand in his shirt, not ready to let go of him. "Of keeping my distance when I don't want to anymore."

"I'm glad," Klaus leaned his forehead against hers, fingers drawing along her cheek as her gaze locked with his.

"Please don't hurt me," she whispered, voice so low that he almost didn't make it out.

"Never," he promised. He wouldn't, not if he could help it.

There was so much that he needed to tell her about himself, to get out in the open between them, but all of it was pushed aside as she kissed him again, hands sliding against his chest, and Klaus buried his thoughts, promising himself to figure out how to explain it all to her when they were back in New York.

For now he wanted to focus on having her in his arms, on her radiant smile, and the euphoria that was circling through the two of them.

* * *

Two weeks of utter bliss followed, the two of them wrapped up in one another completely when they stepped foot back into the city. Caroline's smile only seemed to brighten with every day, the connection between the two of them strengthening with every passing second. She didn't remember her feelings being this intense for Tyler. She knew she'd loved him, but there was just something about the way Klaus looked at her, the way she felt when she was simply holding his hand that was beyond anything she'd known before.

Finals were on the horizon and she needed to focus on that, not plans for winter break that were looking less like heading back to Mystic Falls for the few weeks and more like renting a hotel room with Klaus to enjoy the city and each other more.

Her gpa was more than safe, even if she failed a final or two, she'd still be walking away with at least a 3.8 in every class. But she was determined to get a 4.0 that semester and dragged Klaus with her to the library for the study group that they'd blown off once already.

The plan of studying with the others for a few hours had sounded good in her head, figuring that having the group of them there and not being alone with Klaus would stifle the urge to pull his shirt off and memorize the feel of his skin against hers again. But the minutes were dragging and her attention was waning, the same words barely registering in her head no matter how many times she read them.

It didn't help that Klaus was sitting right next to her, her gaze continuously being drawn to his stubbled chin no matter how hard she tried to focus. His leg brushing against hers finally pushed her over the edge, causing her to rise. "I think I need one more book."

That sounded convincing, right? They were in the library. It was full of books.

It probably didn't help that Klaus rose after her, following her toward the back. His hand caught hers, lacing their fingers as they moved up the stairwell and out onto the lesser used floors of the library. Barely anyone was studying there, none of the librarians were in sight, but they continued on until they reached the last set of rows and ducked back between the bookshelves, tucked out sight.

Klaus tugged her close, his lips ghosting along her neck as her hands sunk into the curls of his hair, body pressing against his. Caroline bit her lip, trying to keep back a moan that threatened to spill out as one of his hands slid under her shirt, gliding up her stomach to brush the skin under her bra.

Their mouths found one another, kisses urgent as she helped Klaus out of his jacket, lips barely leaving one another as it fell to the floor. He helped her tug his shirt off next, sly smile adorning his face as it met the jacket on the ground. She grinned back, stroking her hands up his chest, tangling one of them in the necklaces that were always there before kissing him again. Her hands moved, brushing against his jaw, his cheeks, loving the way his stubble felt against them.

Klaus helped her out of her jacket, his hands moving to take off her shirt next when cameras started to go off, the clicking sound and flash that accompanied them startling the two. "No," Klaus breathed out as Caroline looked on in shock, wondering what the hell was happening.

Klaus grabbed their things from the floor and then her hand, pulling her toward the stairwell that led to an exit. The paparazzi were right on their heels, a chorus of 'Prince Niklaus' echoing off the walls as the cameras continued to flash. This couldn't be happening. Why were they there? Didn't they have enough news with his other siblings? Surely Kol was up to some antics somewhere.

He needed to get her away from them, to try and minimize the likelihood that they would get a clear photograph of her face, needed to explain all that was going on. He pulled her through the library, making a sharp turn right once they were out of it and got the two of them into the crowded New York street, losing the mess of photographers. They needed to keep moving though, partly because he didn't trust that one of them hadn't caught sight of them but also because moving meant he had a little more time to figure out how to explain it all.

"Klaus," Caroline tried, her confusion with everything that had happened growing for every step that they took. "What's going on? Why are they calling you Prince Niklaus?" She yanked her arm out of his grip, needing to stop, needing to make sense of what had just occurred. "Talk to me."

They were on a side street now, surprisingly not as many walking in the area for a moment but Klaus motioned for her to get around the corner, trying to use the umbrellas that were on a cafes tables to hide them a little better. "It's my name," he started, hating the confusion he saw in her face. "I prefer Klaus. Everyone in my country calls me Niklaus though. Aside from my younger siblings who refer to me as Nik."

My country.

Those two words shouldn't have her head spinning as much as they were. She knew he was foreign, knew he was from a small country in Europe that she'd only heard of once or twice before. But to be a _prince_ of it? That was a little different than just being from it. "In your country," Caroline breathed out, hands running through her hair as she tried to comprehend what he was saying.

"It's not mine yet," Klaus explained, wanting to reach out to her but not quite sure if he should yet. "Maybe never."

She shook her head, eyeing him carefully. "What does that even mean?"

"I have two older brothers who are in line before me," he continued and she nodded at that.

What else had he not told her? "You lied to me," she murmured, taking a step back from him. She'd finally opened up her heart again, let him in in and…"I knew I shouldn't have..".

"Caroline, no, I didn't," he stepped toward her, hating the way she tensed at that. "I just didn't want to be Prince Niklaus for once. I wanted to pretend that I was just Klaus."

She barely heard him, her mind whirling and anxiety rising. "Are those pictures going to be in the paper?"

"Yes." God he wished he could stop that, wished he could destroy all evidence and go back to the happiness they'd had not even ten minutes ago.

"Oh my god," she gasped out, hand pressing against her mouth while her other arm wrapped protectively around herself. She needed to get away from there, needed to just not be near him right then. It felt like the world was falling in on her and she didn't know how to handle the emotions that were all being shoved into her.

"I'm sorry," Klaus murmured and he reached out to her as she tried to walk by him. "Caroline wait!"

"Stay away from me," she all but screamed at him, hating that he was in front of her, that part of her wanted to curl up in his arms at that moment.

"I love you," Klaus told her, surprised by the ferocity of the statement, of how much he meant it, how much he doesn't want to lose his sunshine girl.

"You love me?" Caroline shook her head, unable to believe those words. "You lied to me. You just said you were pretending. How do I know that this…" She motioned between the two of them.

"Not about this," he promised, gripping her forearms tightly. "Not about us." He willed her to believe, to see how much he cared, how much he loved her but all he saw was her heartbreak.

"I don't believe you," she murmured and it was like a punch to the gut, forcing him to let go of her.

Watching her walk away was a blow that Klaus didn't know how he could ever recover from. Anger seeped in when he could no longer see her, when she'd become lost in the crowd, and he slammed his hands against the wall, not caring how scratched up they got. He wanted to be furious with her for not seeing, but he had known he needed to tell her the truth and he'd kept putting it off.

He just needed to give her some time and then he'd explain it all better, he'd make the paparazzi go away somehow, get Caroline to see he wasn't lying about loving her. Klaus didn't know how he'd manage any of it but she wasn't the only one who could be a very determined person. When he wanted something he worked at it until he got it and what he wanted was Caroline Forbes.

His phone rang in his pocket and Klaus nearly ignored it but it was the ringtone he had for Henrik. He'd never been able to ignore his baby brother's call. "Now isn't the best time, Henrik," he murmured in greeting, not wanting to snap at the boy.

"Father and Finn are dead," the boy told him, the sound of Henrik crying pulling at his heart. "Elijah might die too."

"What?" Klaus pressed his forehead to the wall, reeling from the news, wondering what had happened.

His mother's voice took over, letting him know about the accident that had only just happened. News outlets didn't even know all the details yet. But Finn and Mikael were dead. Elijah looked to be dying at any moment, the doctor's uncertain that they'd be able to save him.

"You know what you need to do, Niklaus," Esther told him and Klaus sighed, letting her know he'd be on the first flight back.

He couldn't help but call Caroline though, not surprised that it went straight to voicemail. He didn't know if she'd even listen to the message but he had to try, had to let her know all he felt before he was forced to walk away from the sunshine girl he loved.

"I am certain that the last thing you want to do is hear my voice. I don't know if you'll ever hear this even. Perhaps you'll erase it. Being Prince Niklaus was something I never wanted but it was something I was born into. I wanted to take a break from it all, to simply live my life without the scrutiny of the crown. I never expected to meet you, Caroline. I never expected to fall in love. If I could live my life simply making you smile it would be a fulfilled one. I meant to tell you so many times but I worried about what would happen. I didn't want to dull your light." Even if it seemed he'd had a hand in doing so.

"I was pretending to not be a prince but nothing that involved you was pretend. All of it is very real, Caroline. Maybe you won't believe that now, or even in the next few weeks, but when you do, just know that I'll be waiting for you to show up at my door. Because I do love you and I will keep loving you. No matter how long it might take for you to believe that." He let out a sigh and hung up, pocketing his phone again.

He needed to get going. There was so much he needed to do before heading to the airport to make the flight his mother had already booked him.

* * *

Everything hurt, her body seeming to be in mutiny over the emotions that were crashing down around her. She'd managed to hold most of the tears back until she made it to her dorm, thankful that her roommate looked to be out for the evening. He'd tried to call her and she'd turned off her phone, not wanting to hear his voice. Her mind was too much of a mess, unsure what to make of anything that had happened.

Betrayal rang deep in her bones but the sense of loss ran just as deep, causing Caroline to curl up under her covers and wish the world away. She was trying to push down the knowledge that she loved him too, that some of her happiest moments had been with Klaus. It didn't sit well with her anger and confusion and Caroline didn't know how to manage the conflicting feelings coursing through her.

He'd looked devastated when she said she didn't believe him and it had been so hard to keep walking away, to leave him to stand in the street on his own. Part of her had yearned to turn around and go back to him, but the confused and hurt part of her had spurred her feet to keep moving, to put distance between them.

She pulled out her phone, turning it back on and ignored the message that she had a voicemail waiting. Instead she called Bonnie. Caroline was a talker, always would be, and talking through her feelings was something she needed to do.

"Hey, Care," Bonnie greeted and the cheerfulness of her friend's voice had her choking out a sob. "What's wrong?"

She wasn't sure if her words even made sense as they spilled out of her mouth, trying to convey all that had happened in the last hour. "Care, I need you to breathe," Bonnie told her and she tried to do that, taking a deep breath to work at calming down. "And then I need you to turn on the news."

What? Why would she need to do that? Oh god were the damn photos on the news?

Her breath caught as she saw an official photograph of what must have been Klaus' family, picking him out of it immediately, before the scene shifted back to one of an accident. The report said something about his father and brothers being dead before an old photo of Klaus was displayed, reporting him being the new official heir to the throne.

Caroline's heart clenched at the news, barely taking in the heir thing. Her focus was on the loss he'd just faced, on him being alone in New York to deal with it and she scrambled out of the bed. "Bonnie I have to go."

She tried reaching him by phone but it went straight to voicemail. Either his phone was off or he was on another call and so she didn't even think. Simply grabbed her purse and headed straight for his dorm, wanting to offer a shoulder to lean on, to wrap him up in a tight hug and never let go.

He wasn't there though.

"He just left for the airport," his roommate explained before handing her an envelope. "Said to give you this if you stopped by."

Caroline nodded, opening it as she left the room. There was a sketch of her inside, carefree and laughing and she remembered that moment. They had been on a hayride in her hometown and he'd said he wished he could immortalize her laugh. It seemed he had.

She was on autopilot all the way to the airport, trying his phone again but it still went straight to voicemail. She bought the cheapest ticket she could find and made it through security, using her phone to try and figure out which flights were heading to his country in the next few hours. Thankfully there was only one and Caroline crossed her fingers that it was the one he'd take.

She got to the gate and looked around, trying to spot him. There weren't many people there yet, the flight not expected to leave for two more hours, and she didn't see him. She fished out her phone again, hopeful that he'd pick up.

"Caroline?"

She whirled around at the sound of his voice calling her name, noting the surprise there among the devastation that she could see etched into every fiber of him. She didn't hesitate to walk over, thankful when he pulled her into his arms. "I'm so sorry," she murmured, squeezing him tightly, trying to offer what strength she could.

Klaus refused to let her go, afraid it was a dream for a second but the realization of everything else was too raw for it to be. He breathed her in, her presence calming him some. "I know there's no way to be okay right now, but I just...I needed to see you," she tried to explain, holding onto him a little tighter. "I didn't want you to be alone."

He kissed her forehead at that. Her compassion was one of the things he loved most about her.

Unfortunately it didn't take long for the flashing of cameras to find them again and Klaus sighed at that. "Let's head over to the first class lounge for a bit." The damn vultures wouldn't be allowed in there.

They stayed there for the duration of his wait, curled up on one of the couches as they held onto one another. Silence fell between them at first, but after a bit they started to talk again, Klaus silencing her apologies with a kiss.

"I love you too," she murmured against his chest, closing her eyes as his fingers ran through her hair. "I could go with you." She had money in her savings that she could use for the flight.

"You need to finish finals," Klaus reminded, kissing her again when he felt her start to protest. "But I'll get you a flight for right after them. What about that?" He wouldn't let her ruin her dreams because of this. "It'll only be a few days. And then you can spend winter break with me like we planned. Well. Almost like we planned."

Simply in another city on another continent.

Where he'd be King.

He couldn't think about that yet. It was too much weight to bear and hopefully Elijah would pull through.

"And before you say something about paying me back I'll have you know that I get free flights to my country so nothing is coming out of pocket," Klaus added before kissing her forehead. He didn't want to move, wanted to keep holding onto her but the flight was boarding and he needed to get up.

Caroline walked with him to the gate again, ignoring the paparazzi that were waiting for them, clicking away as he kissed her goodbye. "I'll call you when I land," Klaus promised, knowing he'd want to hear her voice again.

"I'll see you in a few days," Caroline murmured as he finally headed off to board.

The paparazzi followed after her once she turned and started out of the airport, asking questions that she didn't bother to answer, thankful when security obstructed them long enough for her to get a cab.

Caroline's mind was still a mess, but her heart at least felt whole again.

Her phone rang and she looked down at the screen, unsurprised to see that her mom was calling her, no doubt wanting an explanation after having seen Klaus' picture on the news. At least Caroline could give one now. It'd probably be a good idea to see if her mom could scrounge up her passport that was somewhere in her room so she could head out to be with Klaus in a few days.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So I said it'd be 2 parts, but its going to be 3.**

* * *

Klaus wasn't sure what he'd been expecting when he was brought to the hospital room. The advisors who'd met him at the airport had tried to talk up Elijah's chances while at the same time going over bits and pieces of what he needed to do-after all, the country would be looking to him for leadership in these next few weeks...possibly longer. He had tried to listen to them, but his priority was on getting to the hospital to see Elijah for himself and to talk to his mother. Esther Mikaelson was a loving mother, wanting the best for her children, and she always told them the truth, no matter how young they might be.

Elijah had never looked so helpless.

It wasn't right, seeing him with various tubes, surrounded by different machines monitoring his health. He barely looked alive, his skin not quite the right color, his hair falling in ways that wouldn't adhere to Elijah's standards. Maybe it was the florescent lights of the room, coating everything with a distinct shine that screamed hospital. Or maybe it was the mood, the doctors and nurses somber as they moved in and out of the room, noting vitals or murmuring something to Esther. She sat at her son's side, book in her lap that she was reading quietly from.

Klaus remained in the doorway, not quite wanting to interrupt the scenes. He smiled briefly as he listened to her read, remembering the story from his childhood. It had been one of Elijah's favorites.

She must have sensed him, she always seemed to have a knack for that with any of her children, because the book was set aside and she was walking toward him seconds later, pulling him into a tight embrace. His family wasn't one for hugging, not once they passed what qualified for childhood. Henrik was the only one who still bothered with it, not quite having passed the age where it was frowned upon.

Klaus hugged her back though, feeling that she needed the comfort, knowing that he did as well. "How is he doing?" he asked as they pulled away from one another, both of them turning to look at Elijah.

He didn't like seeing his brother like this, didn't want this to be the way Elijah would be remembered if he didn't...no. Klaus couldn't think of it like that. His brother would pull through no matter what the diagnosis might be. Elijah was strong, stubborn like the rest of his siblings. Too stubborn to die.

"Broken ribs, broken leg, but it's the swelling of his brain that has them worried," Esther informed him as she headed back to sit down beside Elijah. "They've been working to keep it down but he hasn't woken and they don't know how he'll be once he does."

Klaus nodded as he headed over to the bed, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. Elijah felt so weak to his touch, the vulnerability shining through as though he was infinitely more breakable than before. "What do you need me to do?"

"I'm sure the advisers have already gone over quite a bit with you on your ride from the airport. They'll get you through the next few days. You don't need to worry about talking to the press yet. Jenna is dealing with all reporters," Esther murmured as she looked at Elijah before glancing up at Klaus. "Though you have to know that it won't take them long to find out the girl's name. The one they caught you with in the library." Disappointment coated her tone but Klaus ignored that.

"I need to send someone out there to help her deal with the paparazzi." He couldn't leave Caroline to those wolves. He knew she was stressed enough with her worry for him and finals; she didn't need to deal with the vultures trying to bang down her door at all hours.

"I'm sure it'll all blow over in a few days with you being here now," Esther replied with a wave of her hand, dismissing the idea.

"Considering Caroline will be flying out here next week I doubt that," Klaus murmured as he looked over at his mother, noting her shock at that information. He'd never brought any girl back with him to the country, never had them meeting his family if he could help it.

"I hardly think now is the best time for that," Esther started, nodding toward Elijah. They already knew there would be one funeral for Finn and Mikael and with waiting for Elijah to swing one way or another, she didn't see how having his current dalliance around would be appropriate. But Klaus shook his head.

"I need her here," Klaus sighed and looked back at Elijah. He needed to know that his family was safe and in his mind Caroline was part of that family. Two were already going to be buried in the ground. He didn't want to be worried about where she was and if the paparazzi were causing mayhem for her. He also wanted to be able to hold her, to breathe her in as he tried to make sense of all of the changes that were crashing down onto him.

He'd been a mess in the airport, barely keeping it together, but having Caroline there with him had helped calm him, let his mind focus like it needed to instead of continuing on in the messy manner it had been.

Esther had never heard her son admit that he needed anyone before, not even her. It seemed that dalliance might not be the appropriate word for the girl after all. "Very well. Pick some of the guard and send them there to help her through the days until she's here."

Klaus knew just the ones to dispatch to New York. "The governess is around for Henrik but I'm sure he's been sticking close to Rebekah anyway. Try to give her a break once you're back at the palace," Esther continued before flipping back to the last page she'd been on.

"Who's giving you a break?" Klaus asked, noting the dark circles under her eyes.

"A mother never has a break," Esther replied before nodding for him to go.

He walked over to her, pressing a kiss to her forehead before leaving the room, steeling himself for the onslaught of information and changes that were about to bombard him. First though he needed to let Caroline know that he was sending a team to help her out and ensure her safety and then he would have to dispatch that team to head to New York city asap.

Hopefully before the paparazzi figured out her name.

* * *

It had been four days since she'd seen Klaus, her life changing in ways she couldn't comprehend. Not even a day after he'd left and there was a group of men and women whisking her out of her dorm room and getting her set up in a hotel room that they could better secure against the paparazzi that were constantly trying to photograph her. Caroline's mind was a whirlwind, her usual routine disrupted and for a girl who liked order it was almost enough to bring about a panic attack. But she held onto the little things she could control-her bedtime routine, her study methods-and kept her mind focused on what mattered.

She kept in touch with Klaus, the two of them talking at least twice a day. She could hear the tiredness in his voice, got a sense of the wariness that was running through him with everything that was being suddenly thrust upon him. She listened, knowing that was what he needed, offered advice where she could-which mostly came down to what she herself was doing; taking it all a step at a time and try not to get overwhelmed. Maybe it wasn't much but he seemed a bit happier, a bit lighter whenever they said their goodbyes.

Finals were finally over and Caroline was back at the hotel, packing for her trip. Most of her clothes were staying back at her dorm room with everything else for the next semester, but she'd needed more things to wear than the team had initially taken. Thankfully they'd managed to get in and out of the dorm room with more of her clothes, bringing her mother back to the hotel with them.

"Is it bad?" Caroline asked, because she knew some reporters had made their way down to Mystic Falls.

"They've learned pretty quickly to not bother me," Liz assured her as she sat down on the bed. None of them seemed to want to mess with a Sheriff who was more than happy to fine them for stepping a foot outside the law. Her friends and others in the town were another thing entirely but Liz didn't want to worry Caroline anymore than she was currently.

She pulled the passport out of her purse and handed it over. "How long are you going to be there?"

"I don't know," Caroline frowned at that before putting the passport into her purse. "I mean, spring semester doesn't start until the end of January so I've got a few weeks at least." Klaus and her hadn't exactly gone into the details. Christmas was a little over two weeks away though and she hadn't ever spent it away from her mother. "I'll let you know."

Liz nodded, not entirely sure how she felt about any of this. She understood Caroline's need to accompany Klaus, to be there for him in his time of need, but it was the rest of it that worried her. She'd seen the two of them at Thanksgiving. That boy loved her daughter, she'd seen it clear as day every time Klaus looked at Caroline. And she'd seen the beginnings of that same look being directed by Caroline at him. Her daughter had simply needed to drop the last of the barriers she'd put around herself after the catastrophe that was the Lockwood boy. Liz had been happy to see it happen but now...she couldn't help but worry for the scrutiny that her daughter was about to come under.

"Promise me, Caroline, that you will not forget your own dreams in the middle of all of this," Liz urged, catching her daughter's gaze, needing her to know she was serious about that.

"I won't," Caroline assured her with a small smile. She knew her mother only wanted the best for her.

"And you're calling me every other day," Liz added. Caroline usually contacted her every few days while she was away at college, but now her daughter would be in an entire different country on another continent. She needed to know that Caroline was okay.

Caroline sat down on the bed and hugged her mother hard, thankful that Liz embraced her back just as tightly. "You always did like pretending to be different princesses growing up," Liz murmured into her hair before sighing.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Caroline laughed, not quite ready to look too deeply at all of the ramifications of being in a relationship with Klaus. For now she wanted to focus on being a shoulder he could lean on. The rest of it could wait. "Now come on and help me figure out what the hell I'm even supposed to bring to wear."

* * *

Klaus was advised against being there to pick her up from the airport. They thought it'd be easier to slip her out of it unnoticed if he remained behind in the palace to meet her. He hadn't liked the idea of Caroline being pushed around like a dirty little secret that was being hidden from the world. The papers in his country were already looking into her background, reporting the basics of her childhood, of her parents' divorce and any achievements she had made through the years. There weren't any photographs circulating from her teenage years yet but Klaus knew it was only a matter of time before some did, trying to paint her in a bad light.

He refused to aide in the rumors circulating about her by not greeting her with open arms. Plus Henrik wanted to get out of the palace, not enjoying being cooped up inside, and Klaus had never been able to deny his baby brother anything. So he took him along with the guard that now accompanied him everywhere to meet Caroline at the airport.

It amazed him how much had changed in the last few days. No longer could he simply take one of the cars out and go for a drive, he couldn't walk out into the city without security following him everywhere he went, needing to alert them so they could initiate the proper protocol. He'd dealt with some of that as a child, vaguely remembered always being accompanied to school and friend's places that he was even allowed to venture to. But he'd gotten the strings to stretch when he was older, reminding everyone that he wasn't even the spare heir and he wanted to live his damn life, ready to abdicate all future honors if they didn't give him room to breathe.

They'd given in, letting him come and go as he pleased, a precedent that his brother Kol had taken to as well, but those leniencies were over. Until Elijah woke Klaus was being seen as the heir to the throne, and if- _when_ -Elijah woke he'd be second in line, still not allowed the freedoms he'd once had. To say it was going to be an adjustment was an understatement.

His thoughts were heavy, constantly looping back to the latest conversations with the advisors and Klaus tried to push them out. He wanted this to be a joyous reunion, or at least as joyous as it could be with the melancholy that his life was currently dipped in. Which was another reason why he'd let Henrik accompany him, knowing his baby brother needed to do something instead of sitting around at home waiting to hear the worst.

"Do you think she'll like me?" Henrik asked as they stood outside the terminal, waiting for the plane to deboard.

Klaus looked down at the seven year old who nervously looked back at him, shuffling slightly back and forth as he stood there, biting his lower lip. "If I recall correctly, the two of you got along just fine every time you Facetimed me for help with your homework and she ended up being the one to help," he pointed out with a smile.

"But that was on the Internet. Rebekah says that I am...overwhelming," Henrik scrunched up his nose, trying to remember if that was the word his sister had used. "That I talk too much."

"Sister are supposed to think that," Klaus told him before ruffling the boy's hair. "And you'll find that Caroline is quite the talker too."

Henrik pushed his hands away and tried to get his hair to fall back how he liked it. "But isn't Caroline going to be my sister?"

Klaus' eyes widened at that. "You need to stop listening to anything Kol says," he murmured.

Kol would be the one to put such notions in Henrik's head. Even if Klaus wanted to marry Caroline, it was a bit too early to be talking about such things. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her away, something he'd been certain would happen at any minute before she knew he was a prince. Now that she knew Klaus had a feeling it'd be even more likely to happen. Maybe it would have been best if they'd ended that day on the side street, but he couldn't help but hold out hope that she would stick by his side forever.

"He said you'd say that," Henrik replied before his attention went back to the walkway. Members of the royal guard filtered out, Caroline in the middle of them and chatting away with one of them that Klaus thought was named Lexi.

She stopped as soon as she spotted him, her bright smile and the concern in her eyes easing any worry that Klaus had been feeling. Caroline headed right to them and Klaus kissed her in greeting, his hand staying on the curve of her back as she turned her attention to Henrik.

Now that she was there he couldn't seem to stop touching her, needing to know that she was truly there.

"Hi, Henrik. It's so nice to actually meet you in person," Caroline greeted the boy who was looking shyly at her. "How did your report on penguins go?"

"I got top marks," Henrik told her with a grin.

"I'm not surprised. You were really interested in them so I bet that spilled out when you had to share your project," Caroline replied and Klaus watched as Henrik became a little more relaxed, nodding along with what she said.

Klaus took the small carry on from her and handed it off for Lexi to carry. He slipped his hand in Caroline's, giving it a squeeze. She looked over at him, seemingly searching his expression before giving his hand a squeeze back. Klaus expected Henrik to take his other hand but his brother took hold of Caroline's other one as he started to tell her more facts about penguins.

Klaus readied to say something about her maybe being tired after the flight and perhaps they should pepper her with facts later, wanting to give her an out to his little brother who could be a bit overwhelming with his enthusiasm, but Caroline was happily chatting away with Henrik and Klaus figured it was better to let it happen. She was relaxed and Henrik was smiling, something Klaus knew could cease at any moment with all that was happening.

A number of cameras flashed as they made their way to the exit, Klaus assuring Caroline that her bags would be delivered to the palace. The reporters were calling out for them to say anything, to look their way, but the royal guard quickly ushered the three of them into the back of the car before heading off toward the palace.

* * *

Looking online at photographs of the palace hadn't prepared Caroline at all for seeing it in person. The city wasn't unlike the few others she'd been to before, though the architecture was breathtaking, reminding her of some European exhibits in the museums back in New York. The palace in the center of it all, something that looked even more like it was out of a fairy tale than anything she'd seen before, caught her attention as soon as they turned the corner.

They had to pass through an ornate gate to get onto the actual grounds, though Caroline noted a an entrance on the side that people were walking through.

A statue of one of the kings riding on a horse was in the middle of the square that the palace sat on. She had no idea what century the building had been erected, but the stonework and columns took her breath away as they neared it. There were statues on top of the building, ones she couldn't quite make out as she pressed close to the window, trying to take it all in. She tried to count the number of windows that she could see but there were too many, some long surrounded by the columns and others not as large, with white frames around them.

Klaus gripped her hand a little tighter while Henrik was engrossed in his book. Caroline could feel her nerves starting to get to her, the enormity of who Klaus was really starting to sink in now that it was in front of her. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it, the gesture calming her some.

Royal guards could be seen in various positions in the square, there probably were even some in places that she didn't notice. Their convoy of cars turned off toward a side entrance that was heavily guarded with a steel gate opening and then closing behind them. "This will be the way you'll come in," Klaus explained as the car continued down the drive. "The front door is for the tour groups and for when there are official ceremonies. We tend not to go into the areas on the first two floors that are available to the public. They're clearly marked so it shouldn't be hard for you to pick them out."

It seemed that like the White House the palace was also open to the public in certain areas.

Caroline wondered what it must have been like to grow up having people venture in and out of your home as they pleased. She doubted they could go everywhere, that would be a security risk, but just knowing that there could be others in the house during certain scheduled hours was an odd concept to her.

"We stick mostly to the south wing. It's only for the family and the staff that helps run it. Special guests are in the wing next to it," he continued as the car finally stopped.

"So I'll be in the next wing?" she asked, trying to take it all in.

"No, sweetheart, I've got you in the room that's attached to mine," Klaus assured her and Caroline let out a thankful sigh for that.

"We don't live here in the summer. We're in the castle that's by the beach then," Henrik added as the car door opened and she was helped down onto the ground, Klaus following behind her. Henrik rounded the car to meet up with them.

"Prince Niklaus," an older looking man greeted from the top of the steps they were heading up. "You're needed. There's been some new information that's come to light that you're required to look through."

"Caroline only just arrived," Klaus replied, clearly not wanting to leave her but she could see that he was torn, knowing he needed to deal with whatever the matter might be.

The man looked ready to reiterate how important it was and Caroline squeezed Klaus' hand. "I'm sure Henrik can show me around while you deal with what you need to," Caroline told him. "It'll give us time to get to know one another better, won't it, Henrik?"

"Can I Nik?" Henrik's excitement nearly bubbled out of him. "I'll make sure to show her all of the good places. Like the kitchen so she can see where to get ice cream."

"I'm liking his plan," Caroline laughed, letting Henrik take her hand again.

"I'll find you in a few hours," Klaus told her, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

She smiled reassuringly at him as he headed off with the man, looking back over his shoulder once or twice before disappearing down the hall. "So ice cream?" Caroline asked as she looked back at Henrik who grinned at her before tugging her in the apparent direction of the kitchen.

* * *

It wasn't news that Klaus wanted to hear. Further tests had come back for Elijah, declaring him brain dead after the latest seizure he'd had in the hospital room. They urged for Klaus to sign the papers ceasing life support, all signs apparently stating that even if by some miracle that Elijah did wake that the chances of any kind of recovery were less than 5%.

This wasn't the kind of decision Klaus had ever thought he'd be making, future king or not, he shouldn't be holding his brother's life in his hands. They might have wanted him to sign off right away, to further push him into the role of king that loomed ahead of him, but this was a family decision, not just his, no matter how the advisors might try to persuade him.

The hospital room was as bleak as it had been before, the fresh flowers that adorned a few of the surfaces doing nothing to brighten the room. Death seemed to hang heavily over Elijah, urging him onward, but still his brother's heart was beating, chest rising with every breath he took. And Esther sat by his side, holding his hand as she continued to read to him.

She looked up again at Klaus' presence, seeing the turmoil in her son's face and knew what he'd been advised to do. "They can't expect me to make this decision," Klaus murmured as he stared at Elijah, willing his brother to wake, for a miracle to happen.

"The decisions of Kings are never easy," Esther told him as she rose to stand beside him.

Klaus wanted to protest. He wasn't King yet. He was simply a man who didn't want his brother to die.

It seemed though that Elijah decided to look out for his younger brother one last time, taking the decision out of Klaus' hands. His vitals dropped, the machines beeping wildly as his pulse flatlined. The room chaos in seconds, doctors and nurses rushing inside to try and help him while ushering Klaus and Esther out.

They knew as soon as the doctor stepped out that Elijah hadn't pulled through that time.

Klaus caught his mother as her knees gave out at the news, another of her family to be buried in too short a time. The next hour went by in a blur and Klaus wasn't sure he'd ever be able to say what happened during that time. One second they were standing outside the hospital room and the next his mother and he were back at the palace, standing in Henrik's doorway and watching the boy and Caroline playing a video game together.

Henrik was the first to notice them, a brief flash of hope in his eyes before he was shaking his head and sobbing. Esther was at his side in seconds, rocking him in her arms, and watched as Caroline crossed the room to be at Klaus' side, wrapping him into a tight hug. She watched as her now eldest finally broke down and started to cry, clinging desperately to the American girl she still had to officially meet.

It surprised Esther that she was actually thankful for Caroline's presence. She didn't think Klaus would have let anyone else comfort him like the girl was doing and Esther knew very well that her son was going to be in need of a great deal comfort in the coming days with his accession to the throne and then with their family along with the country going into mourning.

It had been three weeks since Caroline had gotten off the plane but it felt like it was much longer than that. So much had happened in such a short time that everyone was still reeling from it all. It wasn't even a day after the funeral that Klaus had to endure the accession ceremony, becoming the rightful King and taking on all the responsibilities that went with that. Christmas had come and went, a small affair that was more somber than cheerful, the usual duties of the royal family pushed aside as the country let them mourn.

Grief weighted everything down, the country and royal family still in mourning even as routines were slowly gotten back into. The country would continue to do so for the next year and then the coronation ceremony would happen. It would take about that long to plan it and have everything built and grown according to tradition and the advisors thought that it would give the appropriate amount of time for grieving.

Caroline had gotten to know Klaus' siblings. While Henrik had taken to her right away and Kol had gotten along with her well enough, Rebekah had been a bit colder, not quite sure how to take her in, but that was slowly changing as the two got to know one another.

Esther had been an enigma, some days approachable and helpful and other times watching her with a cool gaze. Caroline thought it was because of the grief she was experiencing. It had to be screwing with the woman's emotions to have lost her husband and two children all in one fell swoop.

"Your Highness," Caroline greeted as she knocked on the door to the study that Esther was currently inside. She watched the older woman look up from the book she was reading. "I was wondering if I could ask you about colleges."

Esther arched a brow at that before motioning for her to enter. "Yours is set to start back up again in a few weeks," she replied, lips thinning a bit at the idea.

Caroline nodded, trying not to twist her hands. "Yes, back in New York." She didn't want to go back there though, didn't want to leave Klaus behind to deal with everything on his own. He had his siblings and his mother but Caroline had noticed that he was leaning on her in ways he didn't with any of the others. But she'd promised her mom she wouldn't give up on her dreams. "I was wondering though about the colleges here. I don't know what the policy is for...members of the royal family with taking classes?"

She wasn't one yet, but she was guarded as though she was one of them any time she did leave the palace. "Is it something I would be able to do?"

Esther watched her carefully. "You would want to transfer here instead of going back?" She smiled as Caroline nodded, a weight dropping from her shoulder at this possibility. "I don't see a reason why we wouldn't be able to make that happen. Your grades are phenomenal so whichever of the two you'd like to attend would be happy to have you. And you'll be delighted to know that undergraduate degrees are free here so you won't need to worry about a scholarship."

Esther rose and headed over to the desk, scribbling a few notes onto her calendar. "Beyond that costs money but most businesses end up paying for their employees to go if they need it. I'll have information about the two colleges that we help fund made available to you so you can pick which would be the best option for you."

Caroline breathed out, relieved that this was going to be a possibility. If it wasn't she'd have kept looking for a way, done online classes if needed-though she much preferred actually sitting in class-because leaving was not an option that she could live with. "Thank you."

She was surprised when Esther turned back to her and walked over, taking hold of her hands. "No, thank you. I worried you would leave when the time came and knew that would devastate my son. I doubt it's been lost on you how much Niklaus needs you around."

"I wouldn't have been able to concentrate on anything if I went back." She'd barely been able to do so for finals and he'd only been gone a few days. Caroline couldn't even imagine what it would have been like to be away for an entire semester. "Though I am definitely going to need to explain this all to my mother." That would not be easy.

Esther squeezed her hands. "I'll make sure you've got details on the colleges before the end of the day so that you'll be able to have a reasonable plan when you do talk to her. I'm sure that will help."

"It will. A lot." Her mom would just want to know that she wasn't quitting college and her dreams.

A knock at the doorway stopped her from saying anything more and the two glanced over to find Klaus watching them. "Might I steal her for lunch?" he asked as he walked on in, kissing his mother's cheek and then Caroline's.

"Of course," Esther patted his cheek for a second before smiling at Caroline.

Klaus took hold of Caroline's hand, threading their fingers together as they left the study. "Do I want to know what my mother and you were discussing?"

"She's going to get me details about college out here so I can transfer," Caroline told him. She hadn't expected him to stop walking, nor did she expect his startled expression that quickly turned into a beaming smile. She could see the touches of his mother in him then and his siblings as well. "If you want me to stay anyway."

"Of course I do," Klaus replied, pulling her in close before her insecurities could get the better of her. He kissed the tip of her nose before moving away and tugging her toward the stairs.

She followed him, laughing at the excitement that seemed to have taken him over. Caroline couldn't even think of the last time she'd seen him look this happy about anything. "I thought we were going to eat lunch?" she said as he brought her to one of the backdoors, holding out her jacket to help her into.

"We will," Klaus assured her as he pulled on his own while she found her gloves.

She wrapped one of the scarves around her neck and pulled the hood to fit correctly before following him out onto the grounds.

It looked like someone had bathed the area in a snow, another scene out of a storybook come to life. It was still lightly falling down, adding another fresh coat to the already pristine white, though there were a few indentations from where Henrik must have walked earlier, a lopsided snowman marking where the boy had stopped.

Caroline let Klaus tug her along the hedged path toward the royal stables. Lunch could definitely wait if it meant they were going to be seeing the horses for a bit. She could never pass up that kind of opportunity, especially since the stables were heated.

He stopped them right outside the gate that led into it though, clasping hold of her other gloved hand. She quirked a brow at him, wondering what had him looking so nervous. "What?" Caroline asked as she tried to wipe some snow from his brow.

"I wanted to do this but I wasn't entirely sure if I should," Klaus started, not at all making sense. "I didn't want to tie you down here. You want to see the world and while I can do that it won't ever be like it might have been. There will be so much planning involved, so many requirements…"

Klaus frowned and Caroline shrugged. "I happen to like planning."

He reached over and ran his hands up her arms at that. "I know and I love that about you." She beamed at that and he brushed his gloved fingers against her cheek. "I don't think you'll ever know how much it has meant to have you here."

She didn't expect to him to get down on one knee next, nor for him to pull out a little black box from his coat pocket. "There is no one else in this world that I could ever love as much as I do you," Klaus told her as he pulled off his gloves and opened up the box to reveal the most intricate ring she'd ever seen. "You're ridiculously stubborn, loyal, protective of those you love, and you love and care more than anyone I've ever known. There's no one else that I want to have by my side, as my Queen, besides you, Caroline Forbes. I will love you forever if you'll have me."

He tugged the glove off her hand as she tried to remember how to breathe. "Will you marry me?" Klaus finished and she pressed her free hand to her mouth as she nodded, losing her voice for a moment.

"Yes," she finally breathed out.

Caroline couldn't help the happy tears from falling as he slipped the ring on her finger before rising. Klaus wiped at her cheeks and then kissed her, soft and slow, wondering how he'd gotten so lucky.

She laughed as they broke apart, looking down at her ring as best she could through her tears. Her happiness was overwhelming, emotions bubbling out of her, and she hugged Klaus tightly, not quite believing any of it was real. But his arms held her tightly against him and she breathed in his scent, feeling the weight of the ring on her hand.

"Oh god, I have to let my mom know before the news gets hold of this," Caroline murmured after a moment and it was Klaus' turn to laugh. He fished his phone out from his pocket and handed it over to her.

"Let's have that conversation in the stables and out of this dreadful weather that you so love," Klaus suggested as he pushed the gate open.

"There's just something magical about snow," Caroline chided as she dialed her mother's number, smiling as she realized that Klaus had Liz in there as a contact.

Klaus brought her hand up to his mouth at that and kissed the back of it, admiring the ring he'd placed on it before her mother answered the phone. This probably wouldn't be an easy conversation, no doubt Liz Forbes would be worried about many things, but as he watched Caroline's face light up even more when she told her mother the news Klaus couldn't help but think that it was all worth it for that smile.

* * *

It had taken a little over a month for Liz to schedule time off. Partly because she wanted to make sure everything would run smoothly while she was gone (after being Sheriff for over eight years and not taking any real breaks she was justifiably worried) but mostly she had needed to give herself the time to process everything that Caroline had told her.

Klaus being revealed as a Prince of some foreign nation had been one thing but his now being King and having proposed to her little girl was another entirely. She worried for daughter, how could she not? This was a world that Caroline had no real experience in, one that Liz thought my chew her up and spit her out faster than anyone could expect. Her daughter was stubborn though, and Liz knew better than to try and talk Caroline out of anything once the thought was in her head. Her daughter would see it through to the end, no matter how bitter it might be.

When photographs of Caroline at an underage party had leaked to a few gossip magazines Liz had worried about the backlash that would come with it, but the palace had rebutted easily enough with lists of her daughter's charity work, her earning of a college scholarship, grades in both high school and college, as well as information about her being valedictorian. It tipped the scales in Caroline's favor and for that Liz was grateful but it didn't lessen any of the worry.

This was only the beginning, if Caroline did marry Klaus then it would be a lifetime of people watching in fascination as she rose or fell. Her daughter wasn't even twenty yet; how was Caroline supposed to know if she could handle that for the next fifty plus years?

But this trip wasn't supposed to be about her worries. It was about meeting Klaus' family and sharing in the congratulatory celebration for the engagement. So Liz was determined to be as cheerful as she could be and push aside her concerns as best she could manage.

The car door was opened and Liz stepped out, smiling as she spotted Caroline at the top of the steps. One thing that wouldn't have to change was apparently her daughter's sense of style. It fit in a lot better here than it seemed to back in their small town.

Caroline grinned brightly as she bounded down the steps to meet her. "I'm sorry I couldn't meet you at the airport," she murmured as she hugged her mother. "The flight delay kind of threw the schedule off. At least you didn't have to deal with the press, right?"

Liz squeezed her a little tighter before pulling away. "I can't have them arrested for trespass here." Something they'd learned she would happily do if they stepped a foot out of line with her.

Caroline laughed and started up the stairs. "Don't worry about your bags, they'll get them all to your room while I show you around. Do you want anything to eat first? I know I was starving when I got off the plane and it's easy enough to get something whipped up. Though dinner will be in about an hour."

"I can wait," Liz assured her as they entered the palace, amazed by all she saw.

"Then I'll give you the basic tour so you'll be able to navigate. Though ask if you need help with directions." Caroline scrunched her nose as she looked over at her mom. "I still ask for directions every so often."

Liz followed beside her, listening as Caroline told her bits of history about the various rooms, things Liz knew she'd never remember but she enjoyed seeing her daughter's enthusiasm about all of it. The break up with Tyler had dulled her some but it seemed that Caroline was shining brighter than she ever had before and Liz really liked seeing that.

A staff member stopped them briefly in the hall, apologizing for interrupting but there was a matter that Caroline needed to decide on. Liz watched as Caroline read through the report for a few minutes, nibbling on her bottom lip before tapping the paper, option chosen. The man left and Caroline simply smiled before continuing where she'd left off.

They ended the tour in the room for her and Caroline shut the door. "So how much do you want to lecture me about what I'm doing?"

Liz laughed at that. "You know me too well."

"I did live with you for like eighteen years," Caroline pointed out as she sat down on the bed. "I want this, mom. It's intimidating at times, like oh my god I'll be Queen of a nation I'm still learning about, but like at the same time I want to do it. I think I'll be good at it. And technically it's using what I'm still in college for." She looked pointedly at her mother then, because yes she was still attending college. "Just instead of event planning for other people's weddings and stuff, I'm doing charity events and dignitary visits. My own wedding."

She held out her hand as Liz sat down beside her, letting her mom get a good look at the ring. She'd sent photographs via text but that wasn't the same as in person. "And I love him."

Liz remembered that feeling, back when she had loved Bill, before it all turned sour. No matter how bitter the ending of their marriage, it had given her something wonderful in the form of their daughter. "I know," Liz told her, gently patting Caroline's hand. "And I know he loves you. I'm happy for you but I'm your mother so no matter what I'm going to worry."

"I can handle that," Caroline grinned and rose from the bed. "But we should head down to the family dining room now or I can't guarantee that Henrik won't have eaten all the good appetizers."

"I can't wait to meet that one." She'd heard countless stories about him in their phone calls.

"He might be a little shy at first," Caroline cautioned as they head out of the room and down to the dining room.

"It's lovely to see you, Liz," Klaus greeted, looking slightly more tired than when Liz had last seen him. Though considering the weight he now carried around that was to be expected. "I hope the plane ride wasn't too long."

"Good to see you again too, Klaus," Liz replied before pursing her lips. "Or am I supposed to say Your Majesty?" Wasn't that what she'd read online? "And it was better than any plane I've ever flown on before."

He blinked, startled by the question, and swallowed as he tried to come up with an answer. Liz couldn't help but feel a little smug at throwing him off a bit.

"My mother never called my dear Mikael by that in all the years she knew him," Esther commented as she entered the room, smiling in greeting. "At least not in the private areas of the castle and I don't recall her ever doing it in public. Mother-in-laws tend to be exempt considering they do give their most precious thing to the King."

She reached out to shake Liz's hand. "It's a delight to finally meet you in person after the countless emails. "

"Countless emails?" Caroline asked as she sat down, looking between her mother and Esther who smiled conspiratorially as they looked at one another.

"Nothing for you to worry about," Liz replied as she sat down beside her.

Caroline glanced over at Klaus who shrugged, as in the dark as she was. He leaned over. "I say we just be happy that they're getting along," he murmured quietly as Henrik bounded in to join them for dinner.

She wasn't a fan of being in the dark about anything but Caroline supposed Klaus was right as she watched his mother and hers happily chat away, her worry over the two being awkward around one another vanishing, and giving her one less thing to be concerned about.

* * *

It was easy to look back on his life at times and think of how he should have done things a bit differently. Maybe paid more attention on one class or another. Definitely kept up with the so-called family business instead of getting his way and leaving it behind for college.

Except if he had done that then Klaus wondered if he ever would have met his sunshine fiance who helped ease the burden of running an entire country in ways that she didn't even know. Simply waking up in bed beside her and falling asleep with her there next to him helped loosen the strain that he felt on occasion. Having her there at his side for various functions with diplomats and others who attended luncheons at the castle or made appointments to discuss various matters was a godsend Klaus wasn't entirely sure how he'd do without.

Caroline seemed to know precisely when the stress of it all was getting to him and the touch of her hand, a look of concern, or her beautiful smile helped relieve it enough for the moment to let him carry on. Without her there Klaus wouldn't have been surprised if his temper wouldn't have gotten the best of him, his impatience over the tediousness of certain aspects of being king having him boil over and lash out as he had as a teenager.

The people adored her almost as much as he did. So while there were things he wished he'd done better in the past, Klaus knew he wouldn't change any of them if it meant he'd lose out on her.

"You've got your pensive, lost in deep thought look going on," Caroline murmured as she exited the bathroom and headed over to the bed where he'd been looking over a report.

Her tiny pink shorts and white tank top didn't quite meet the criteria for what the future Queen should wear to bed, but Klaus loved the way the outfit showed off her legs and the curves of her breasts. "Is the report really that interesting?" she continued as she got under the covers.

Klaus dropped the report onto the bedside table, his attention focused on her. "I've completely forgotten what it said already," he told her, turning onto his side so that he could look at her better. He propped himself up on one elbow, his other hand moving to slide along her hip and then under her tank top to draw along her skin.

"Oh really?" Her fingers were already tangled in his necklaces, running along the newest one that she'd gotten for him as a Christmas gift a few months back.

"Mmmm," was all he managed to get out as she pressed closer to him, using her grip on the necklaces to drag him even closer so that their noses brushed.

He loved how she closed her eyes at that little bit of contact, sighing happily as he lightly kissed her nose, then her cheek, and moved onto the edge of her lips before finally kissing him back. It started off sweet, just the gentlest of touches but as his hands smoothed up the skin of her back and her hands tightened their hold on his necklaces she bit down on his bottom lip causing him to groan. Klaus didn't let her celebrate her little victory for long, pressing her back against the mattress as he kissed her again, unrelenting as he licked along the side of her mouth, enjoying the way her legs wrapped around his waist then.

Klaus moved, nuzzling her cheek before he kissed her neck, enjoying the little keening noises Caroline made as his teeth and tongue lingered in spots. Her tanktop was quickly discarded, baring her upper body to him. He'd always loved her breasts, couldn't get enough of the feel of them under his hands, in his mouth as he used tongue, teeth, lips and hands to have her gasping. Her hands were in his hair, threading through his curls as she murmured encouragement, hips rolling against his.

The covers and sheets were pushed aside, something Klaus knew she'd want fixed before they actually slept, but from the way she helped lift her hips so he could drag her shorts and panties off he didn't think Caroline minded in that moment. He was ready to continue downward, to kiss along her stomach and hips before making his way where he really wanted to be but Caroline seemed to have other plans as she pressed a hand to his chest, moving so she was sitting as she kissed him again.

Her hand drifted down his body, fingers dragging along the waistband of the boxers he was wearing before rubbing along the length of him through the material. Klaus swallowed hard at that, noting her wicked little smile as they pulled slightly apart. He caught her hand before she could get it under his boxers.

He meant to take his time with her tonight, to show her precisely how much she meant to him as best he could without words. "Klaus," Caroline narrowed her eyes, clearly wanting to pleasure him as well, but he gently pushed her back down.

"Later," he promised before kissing her again. There was a hunger to it that he hadn't ever felt before, a yearning that nearly overpowered him as his hands slid down her body. She gasped against his mouth as his fingers slid against her sex, sliding through her wetness.

If he could spend every night learning her body over and over again he'd rule for a thousand years, just to hear the delicious little sounds she made as he pressed his thumb against her clit. It was the way she gasped out his name though that Klaus loved the most. There wasn't any sound as intoxicating as his name on her lips.

There was no protest as he made his way down her body this time, her thighs parting easily for him. She was a writhing mess in moments, fists wrapped up tightly in the sheets she laid on top of, back arching as he finally sucked her clit. She came with a sharp cry and he kept up his movements, enjoying the way she fell apart.

He discarded his boxers before kissing his way back up her body, enjoying the way she still trembled slightly even as her hands drew down his back, trying to hold him closer. "I am so glad your family isn't anywhere near our bedroom," Caroline murmured and Klaus laughed at that before kissing her softly.

Her hand wrapped around the length of him, stroking him a few times before guiding him into her. Klaus pressed his forehead to hers as they started to move, easily finding their rhythm. He couldn't help but gaze into her eyes, trying to express just how much he loved her, unsure if she'd ever really know. He could say 'I love you' a million times and Klaus didn't think it would ever do his feelings towards her justice.

"I know," Caroline murmured, as his lips seared against her neck, over her jaw. His hand slipped between the slide of their bodies, easily finding her clit again.

"Oh god," she sobbed out as he continued to rock into her, the stroke of his fingers almost too much. It wasn't enough though, straining at just nearly was driving her insane. "Please, Klaus."

He didn't think he'd ever be able to deny her anything, giving her the pressure that she was desperate for. It had her careening over that precarious edge again, her sensitive skin already heightened from her first orgasm. Klaus followed soon after, murmuring promises about forever as he rolled off of her, dragging her to him as she tried to catch her breath.

Klaus kissed her shoulder, fingers sliding along her stomach, forever thankful that he'd met her. "You are so gonna have to put the covers and sheets back together so we can actually sleep," Caroline murmured after a few moments and Klaus laughed at that, nipping her shoulder lightly before she wiggled out of his grasp to locate their clothes.

"It was entirely worth it, sweetheart," Klaus mused, appreciating the view as she tugged her clothes back on before tossing his boxers at him. He caught them before they hit him in the face.

"Get up and help me with these," Caroline urged as she tried to untangle the sheet from the cover. He chuckled at her frustration as they got them untangled and then stood back as she got the sheet on to her exact specification before helping him put the cover on top.

She smoothed her hands along the blankets, smiling at the clean lines they'd made, before the two of them got back into the bed and under the covers. "What would you do without me?"

"I don't intend on ever finding out," Klaus replied as he tugged her close, smiling against her forehead as she curled up against him. He would do everything in his power so that he never would.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: And here we have the end. Thanks so much for reading!**

* * *

The snow was gone, the winter wonderland aspect of the country melting away into spring. The country was coming to life again, new buds sprouting, an almost rebirth from the darker winter they had endured. It was lovely, aside from the rain.

Caroline had thought it poured a lot in Virginia but it seemed this new country she was to call home liked to break records for rainfall every year. The clouds had decided not to come out that day though, letting the groundbreaking ceremony for the new hospital to go off without a hitch.

She stood beside Rebekah as Esther cut the ribbon before handing the large golden scissors back to the architect. Caroline was grateful for her Mystic Falls training or she smiling as she was supposed to in public might have been a lot harder. Everyone truly was always watching, cameras at the ready to take a photograph-whether professional or simply a random camera phone. It was different than being a celebrity though, she'd realized that quite early on. It was never supposed to be about her per se or even Klaus when the two were out together. It always was meant to be how whatever they were doing was benefiting the country.

Caroline couldn't help but with some of the press would realize that as the questions portion of the event started. Like clockwork one of the reporters focused his attention on her instead of the event, wanting to know about the wedding plans.

She smiled as she stepped toward the microphone, bypassing Esther who no doubt wanted to try and nip the questions in the bud. But Caroline had noticed that the reporters didn't react well to the dowager queen's stance on that, reporting her as old and pass her time. Something that Esther didn't take to heart but Caroline didn't like how they could tear into her future mother-in-law.

"I know that a lot of people are really interested in what I'll be wearing for the wedding, for all the little details," Caroline started, ignoring the way Esther pursed her lips at that, clearly not liking the start of her answer. "But that's not why we're here today. We have an amazing opportunity to talk about this new hospital that's being built. Hundreds of thousands of people will be gaining jobs because of this-from construction crews and engineers to build us a state of the art facility to the doctors, nurses and rest of the staff that will eventually ensure that the place runs to its full capacity. There will soon be less wait time because we'll have more equipment available, more doctors and nurses to look after those who are sick, and I think that is something we should be celebrating, don't you?"

She smiled at the reporter who nodded in assent. "I think we should take this opportunity to hear what the head architect, Mr. Adrian, and head engineer, Ms. Salis, have to tell us about what exactly this hospital will be doing for us once it opens its doors."

Caroline stepped back and let the other two step forward, continuing to smile as everyone listened to the new details. Esther leaned in slightly toward her. "Well done," the woman murmured and Caroline's smile brightened at that, pleased she'd managed to not blunder her way through it.

* * *

"Be warned he's in a mood," Rebekah grumbled as soon as Caroline stepped into the common area used the family. She quirked a brow at that but the girl didn't elaborate, simply glared at the doorway to the room Klaus used as a studio.

"What happened?" Caroline asked, watching Rebekah huff in annoyance.

"He won't let me choose who I want to bring to the wedding," Rebekah muttered. "He crossed off every single one of my choices. Which fine, I wasn't headset on any of them anyway. But when I asked who he thought would be worthy enough to bring me he said no one. That there was no reason for me to even have a date."

"Why does he get to decide who you bring as a date?" Because Caroline was really trying to understand that part of it all first.

"He's the King. He has to approve of guests," Rebekah muttered as she crossed her arms, looking absolutely pitiful. "He said I could go with Henrik. I am not dancing with my baby brother the entire time."

"I'll talk to him." She barely got the words out before Rebekah was off the couch and hugging her tightly. "I make no guarantees about this though." For all she knew it could be a tradition thing but if it was simply Klaus being an older brother then Caroline knew she had a lot of leeway to help.

"Thank you," Rebekah sighed happily.

"Is there anyone in particular that you'd like to go with more than the other?" It'd be even easier if they were part of the wedding party, then she could just make sure Rebekah and the guy walked down the aisle together.

"Actually there is…" Rebekah grinned and it amazed Caroline how similar conspiratorial looks were between all of the Mikaelson siblings.

Caroline headed into the studio a few minutes later. "What part of get the hell out did you not understand, sister?" Klaus demanded, not bothering to turn around from the canvas that he was furiously painting.

"I guess its a good thing that I'm not your sister then, huh?" Caroline murmured, noting his dark palette choices.

She saw him stiffen at her voice before he looked back at her. "Let me guess, Rebekah has sent you to do her dirty work?"

Caroline sat down on the couch, shrugging lightly. "Don't worry, I already got her all sorted out."

Klaus put down his brush, turning to truly face her. "She has no need for a date."

"She's nearly eighteen," Caroline pointed out, amused when he scowled at the reminder that his little sister was growing up. "But her and I compromised and so now I just need to let you know what it is."

"Don't you mean get me to approve it?" Klaus asked as he picked up a damp towel and tried to wash the paint residue off his hands.

Caroline arched a brow at that and he sighed before scowling a little more. She might not be queen yet, and even once she was her power would be much more limited in comparison to his, but getting his approval to do something was something they both knew was likely to never happen. "What is this apparent compromise?"

"There will be no actual date per se," Caroline started and Klaus watched her closely, wondering what ingenious idea she'd come up with. "But she thinks your old roommate from your time at boarding school is super cute so I'm just going to make sure that one walks her back up the aisle for the ceremony and that he's her escort into the reception and for the first dance." The rest would be up to Rebekah.

Klaus's brow wrinkled at that, taking a minute to figure out who she was talking about before he nearly dropped the towel in annoyance. "Enzo. She wants to have a go at Enzo?" Out of all the choices why did it have to be him?

"Well, she did want someone from a list she'd given you and you knocked all of them off, so since Enzo will be there anyway, it seems like it'll work," Caroline grinned, trying not to laugh as he glared at her. "You could have picked one of the boys from her school…"

"I think I liked it better when the two of you didn't get along so well," Klaus grumbled and she did laugh at that as she stood up.

"I am sure you can let Enzo know that she's off limits for anything aside from dancing," Caroline pointed out as she walked over to him, lightly kissing him on the cheek. "But I'll let you get back to painting now."

Klaus caught her around the waist before she could move though, keeping her close against him. "You're diabolical."

"And you love me for it," Caroline laughed and he sighed, unable to deny that. "But really, finish your painting but don't forget that the baker is coming in an hour for our wedding cake taste testing appointment. So get out all of your angry juju because it is so not allowed to interfere with deliciousness."

"I know a much better way than painting to get rid of my frustration," Klaus murmured, enjoying the way her breath caught as the mood shifted around them, his fingers drawing lazily up her spine.

"As much as I'd love to give the couch a workout again, I've already got plans with your mother and she will definitely come looking for me." And the last thing Caroline wanted was for Esther to find the two of them half naked on the couch or to even hear the two of them. "But you can have me all to yourself tonight, your Majesty."

She grinned at the way he tightened his grip on her at that last part, the heat in his eyes nearly persuading her to chance it, but Caroline pushed away from him. "Cake in an hour," she reminded before blowing him a kiss and slipping out of the room.

Klaus watched the door close behind her and sighed before turning back to the half done painting. The color palette didn't quite work anymore. He needed to add some lighter shades.

* * *

"Watch this, Caroline!" Henrik called out before doing a cannonball off the side of the royal yacht.

She waved to the boy when he popped back out of the water and swam back toward the boat to do it again, a few of the crew and security in the water and on the boat to ensure his safety. Arms wrapped around her from behind, pulling her back against a chest, and she laughed as Klaus kissed her shoulder. "Two more days and then it'll be just you and I," he murmured against her skin.

"Well, you, me, the crew and our staff," Caroline pointed out with another laugh before giving the seven year old a thumbs up as he jumped again.

"But no little brothers stealing all of your attention," Klaus replied as he waved to the boy. It was nice to see Henrik smiling again and he did love spending time with his brother but he was definitely looking forward to the five days he'd have alone with Caroline once Henrik, his mother, and Liz headed off.

It was nice to have a small break from everything, though he was still kept up to date on all matters and technically the vacation could be cut short at any time. Thankfully it hadn't been yet and Klaus was keeping his fingers crossed that it'd continue on without interruption.

He'd picked the Seychelles islands not only because Caroline had wanted to spend time at a beach but because the paparazzi weren't as much of an issue there. The yacht was faster than anything those vultures could hire and so far they'd avoided any crazy photography besides the endless pictures taken with their own camera phones.

"It's impossible not to give him attention with that smile he gives and the pleading eyes," Caroline pointed out and Klaus shook his head, before letting his fingers drift over the top of her red bikini bottoms, enjoying the way she squirmed against him. "He's a little fish in this water."

"All of my children are quite fond of the water," Esther commented as she came to stand beside them against the railing, causing Klaus to cease his small touches. "We insisted on lessons when they were young because of the summer castle's location on the beach. I'm sure you'll want to do the same once you've had children."

He felt Caroline tense a little at that as her mother came to stand along the railing as well. "I'm sure that won't be for a few years," Liz added, smiling over at her daughter. "They need time after the wedding to just be together amid all of the rest of it."

"That is our plan," Klaus replied as he gently caressed Caroline's side to calm her. "Caroline still has another year of college to go along with her other duties." Which would only pile on after they were married.

"And I am graduating," Caroline replied, adamant about that. It meant a lot of her to be able to do so, one of her dreams she would accomplish.

"The country will be expecting an heir," Esther told them and Klaus readied to counter that but Liz beat him to it.

"I'm sure the country expects lots of things, but just like everyone else in the world, you don't always get what you want when you want it." Caroline tried not to laugh at her mother's matter of fact answer. "They're young and already have a lot of weight on them to deal with. They should get a few years where their vacations will involve the two of them and friends without having to worry about carrying around a baby that they'll both adore."

"As long as I'm not waiting forever for a grandbaby," Esther chided the two.

"And let Kol be the next in line forever?" Klaus shuddered at the thought.

Esther smiled at the two of them before heading down the stairs. Liz gently squeezed Caroline's arm before following after her. "That's so not the last time that's gonna get brought up, is it?" Caroline murmured before sighing.

"Traditionally the first child is born about a year after the wedding," Klaus replied, tightening his hold on her. "But there hasn't been a king or future queen as young as we are in centuries. So while some may expect it, I think a lot will understand our wanting to wait."

The might have both wanted children one day but they were hoping to stick to their five year out plan. Whether or not that would work was to be seen but Klaus thought it was a good idea. "I already have to share you on vacations as it is," Klaus continued and Caroline laughed before turning to kiss his cheek.

"Alright, enough over thinking," Caroline replied as she took hold of his hand. "Let's go join Henrik in the water before he breaks something while trying to show off so we'll get in there with him."

* * *

Klaus had known that it wouldn't be easy to run a country. He had seen the stress it brought to Mikael, the weight that Finn and Elijah had carried with them as they headed out to address dignitary matters in their father's stead. Klaus had done a few of them himself once he was of age, but nothing to the extent the others had. But that didn't mean he wasn't well aware of what was expected of him.

He knew that he was young, not even yet half a century old-the youngest any previous person had become King in his country-but Klaus had expected his advisors to help him, not subtly question his ability to lead, murmurs of him being too young echoing through the halls as they tried to push him to make decisions that they thought would be best.

He'd finally had enough, demanding they all leave so he could look over everything, wanting time to process. The looks he caught a few of them giving one another nearly had him lashing out, his anger threatening to get the better of him, but he held it in until they finally exited, letting his secretary know that he wanted to be left alone until further notice.

That worked fine for the entrance most took into his private office, but his secretary couldn't be in two places at once, leaving the entrance from the royal family's area unguarded. Thankfully everyone was supposed to be out that day, Henrik and Rebekah at school, Kol gone on his tour of the armed forces, and Caroline was with his mother at one of the gardens for a photo op. He should have been left in peace to stew.

It seemed that the photo op had gone smoothly, ending early, and Caroline strode through the door, her cheeriness almost adding to his annoyance as she dropped down on the chair across from his desk. Whatever she'd been about to say stopped though as she noted the anger in his features.

"Is this one of those 'I need to be alone with my thoughts' angry spells or 'I need you to listen to me rant' angry spells?" she asked as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk. Sometimes people needed to be alone and she could respect that, but if he needed her then she would listen.

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he wanted the first, but that wasn't what came out of his mouth. "They think I'm incompetent." The urge to throw something was growing, saying it aloud adding to his fury. "That I wasn't groomed enough to know what I'm doing, to make the hard decisions."

Caroline nodded, letting him continue, knowing he needed to get it all out. He told her all of it, from the little comments that he'd barely paid attention to at first, thinking them justified in those first few weeks after everything had fallen to him. But months had passed, he'd found his footing and Klaus was through letting anyone see him as inadequate. He'd dealt with that enough as a child, being the third in line, fully aware that the chances of ever acquiring the crown not likely in his lifetime. His parents had never had quite the same expectations for Kol and him as they did Elijah and Finn and the younger two had been fully aware of that knowledge.

Perhaps it was why they'd rebelled as best they could against the rigidity of the royal life.

Klaus knew that his anger, his stewing was only adding credence to the doubters opinions, but he was currently stuck on how to proceed next, his frustration palpable.

"What do you think of their suggestions?" Caroline asked after he'd finished talking.

"I think some of them are looking out for their own interests," Klaus muttered, clenching and unclenching his hands as he glowered at the door, not wanting to direct the dark look at her.

"Okay, so like when we were at school and so didn't trust that one guy who told us what we should be mixing, do your own research," she started as she moved over to sit on the desk and take one of his hands in her own, stroking her fingers along it to help him calm down. "I mean it's way more important than mixing chemicals to get that A, but research what they're talking about, look at the different angles. You've got people that are in power in other countries that you do trust, right? And people here? Talk to your mom. You may not always see eye to eye but she's been playing this political game way longer than you have and probably has tips. You don't necessarily need to take them but maybe they'll help spark an idea for you."

Klaus sighed at that, letting her continue her gentle patterns on his hand, fury slowly drifting away. "And if you think they're not being helpful then do they even have to stay as your advisors?" she continued, not at all sure about that.

"No," Klaus considered that, wondering the ramifications of putting those men out of the power they'd gotten comfortable with during his father's reign. Perhaps it was time to put some changes into place, get some new blood in the mix. There were likely a few that he'd keep and Klaus knew he wouldn't be able to suddenly get rid of them.

He would watch and listen, noting who was pushing their own agendas and who of his small team was actually looking through the matters and pinpointing what would be best for the country and not their own businesses.

"So figure out who you work best with. Like when I was putting together the winter formal for school I eventually had to get rid of some of the team I'd used the year before. They were constantly bickering, not at all helpful, and bringing everything down. Like you always want people who think differently than you but there's a difference between having a different viewpoint and trying to like sabotage things cause you don't like them." Or at least she thought so.

"But once those few constant trouble makers were gone and I'd put in people who really wanted to work and to create the overall vision, it went pretty smoothly." There would always be bumps along the way, but they'd been able to get through them together instead of trying to throw one another under the bus. "What you're dealing with is like a lot more important but well, I think it works?"

Klaus brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, his anger abating and the urge to start working toward implementing the changes he needed to make igniting. He'd been stuck in fury, letting it consume him. He'd have eventually worked his way out of it and done something constructive, but having Caroline there to listen and then to offer her own insight had helped speed that process along. She balanced him out in ways that no one else ever had and Klaus was forever grateful for that.

"You've got that 'ready to move forward' spark in your eyes so I am going to go now so you can get back to work." She slid off the desk, tugging for him to release her hand but he pulled back, wanting her close again for a moment.

"You're going to be an amazing queen," Klaus told her, enjoying her bright smile at his words. "I love you."

"I love you too," Caroline replied before kissing him, letting it linger for a few moments before she did pull fully away. "I'll see you at dinner."

Klaus watched her leave, enjoying the sway of her hips as she left the room, before turning his attention back to the desk. He pressed the button to alert his secretary that he needed something and motioned for the man to enter once he peeked inside. There was research to do and a country to run, he'd brooded enough for the day.

* * *

The amount of duties that went along with being a member of the royal family-or fiance of the King in Caroline's case-was a bit daunting. It was a lot more than any tabloid or expose had ever shown, especially prior to any engagement they needed to attend. And there always seemed to be something coming up on the calendar. Being knowledgeable about the state of affairs in the country and the world was vital, knowing information about key people that would be at each event also needed to be done.

Clothes and jewelry picked out and charted so that the same pieces weren't used, the same outfit not worn too many times in a year, if at all. And everything had to be tailored exactly, hair just right, make up done just so. Which was something Caroline had always prided herself on doing pretty well but the attention to detail that her personal secretary and the advisors that she had blew her mind at times.

This was her third visit to another country with Klaus. He was the new king and the various countries that held special interests and connections with the nation wanted to get off on a good foot with him, to keep the communication lines open. Each trip took careful planning and memorizing a lot of details, but he was definitely fulfilling her desire to travel.

But this trip was to meet with the President of the United States and that was a whirlwind for Caroline, the news outlets having a field day with her story back in her home country. They loved her there, saw her as somewhat of a Cinderella story-even though she'd not exactly been poor or mistreated. They were mostly fascinated with one of their own falling in love with a prince and one day soon becoming queen. Apparently there was even a Lifetime movie about it all though she was doing her best to not watch it.

"Have you ever been to the White House?" Klaus asked her as their private plane continued on course. "It's not too far from Mystic Falls, right?"

"We went for a class field trip once. Did that and the museum of natural history. I was in like sixth grade." She laughed as she remembered the trip, the highlight being buying a pretzel from one of the stands. "I think this time might be a bit different."

Klaus grinned at that, rubbing his hand against her thigh in an attempt to calm her nerves. "You're doing wonderfully. I don't know if I've told you that."

"Well, I have had training," Caroline reminded and it was his turn to chuckle.

"Ah, yes, I almost forgot that I'm in the presence of Miss Mystic Falls." She lightly hit his arm which only made his dimples more pronounced. She really did love how relaxed he looked in that moment. He'd been stressing quite a bit about this trip because of the relationship his father used to have with the states and wanted to ensure it continued.

"Your mom has been a lot of help too," Caroline told him. She got along quite well with Esther ever since the woman had realized that she was sticking around and adamant about helping Klaus. Esther's guidance and insight had helped Caroline out on many occasions though she always made sure to keep her own essence in everything she did.

"She adores you," Klaus replied. "I'm not sure how she couldn't. Speaking of mothers, I'm sure you're excited to be seeing yours again."

"I miss her. Not that I saw her a lot during the school year but taking the train down from New York is a little bit easier than all of this," she motioned around the private jet. "I'm sure she'll be a bit awkward with the whole staying with us at Blair House instead of us staying with her in Mystic Falls."

But staying in Caroline's small home town was just unrealistic, staying in her mom's small house even more so because of the amount of staff that had to go with them places even if they were on a simple vacation let alone an official visit. "She's excited to see us again though and she's going to give me a few things for the wedding."

Her mother was coming to it and would be arriving the month before to help with things, but Caroline wanted to have the something blue (a ribbon of her grandmother) sewn into her wedding dress and needed that well before the actual wedding. Plus her mom had dug out a few more options in case the ribbon didn't quite live up to her childhood memories.

"We'll be able to spend some uninterrupted time with her there at least," Klaus replied with a frown. It wasn't quite the same as the intimacy of the Thanksgiving he'd done with them, but it was the best he could offer considering the circumstances.

"It's perfect," she assured.

Caroline leaned against him at that, pleased when he wrapped his arm around her, letting her get comfortable. It was nice to take a few moments to simply exist together, knowing that the next two weeks would be filled with events and interviews and there would be little time to relax. His fingers brushed through her curls while she drew her fingers over his hand, making little patterns.

His secretary headed over to them, sitting down on the seat opposite and handed over the detailed itinerary to the two of them. "We'll be descending soon so I think we should have one more go at the schedule."

They shifted apart and flipped open the booklets, ready to continue the never ending preparations. Though their hands found one another again, giving a gentle squeeze as a reminder of why all the trouble was worth it.

* * *

Caroline had never quite felt this kind of butterflies in her stomach before. It wanted to overwhelm her while at the same time she was trying not to burst with the happiness she was also feeling. She'd had her final fitting in the dress only a few weeks before and while revealing it to her mother, Esther and Rebekah had been a lovely moment, one filled with a lot of joy, today was her actual wedding day.

She had dreamed about this day quite a bit as a child. She had planned it out countless times,and while the themes changed, the groom she thought she'd married changed, the small details that mattered the most to her had always remained throughout all of the alterations.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, smoothing down the front of the ivory gown. Intricate floral designs in the lace adorned the material from top to bottom, the top of it curving in a sweetheart neckline that she preferred. Sleeves weren't exactly her favorite thing but she understood the need for tradition with them and she'd found that she liked the detailed lace in them, enjoyed the mixing of traditional with modern.

It took all of her self-control to not start crying as she gazed at herself, not quite believing that the day had finally arrived. Rebekah was fussing with the train, making sure it fell back exactly how they wanted, while Bonnie helped her arrange the veil so it fit the way it was supposed to.

"You look gorgeous, Caroline," her best friend murmured and Caroline hugged Bonnie tightly, her nerves nearly getting the better of her.

"Careful or you'll ruin your makeup," Rebekah chided as she rose, finally approving of the train. "Wait until you see the tiara that Nik picked."

The reminder that this was not only her wedding day but the moment she'd officially become Queen to the nation was definitely not helping her stay calm and Caroline took some deep breaths. "It's going to be fine, Caroline," Bonnie tried to reassure her and she nodded, knowing that's what the others wanted.

"You're going to regret not doing gloves," Rebekah continued as she moved to stand on the other side of Caroline. "You have to shake so many people's hands at the reception after. I don't know about you but I don't trust the hand washing for all of them."

"Rebekah!" Caroline admonished but her nearly sister-in-law simply shrugged while Bonnie laughed.

"I know you barely slept last night," Bonnie said, steering the conversation into another direction. "Think you can manage through the lunch reception and then handle the one later on tonight that's only for friends and family?" Only those closest to Klaus and Caroline that they thought could handle the music, dancing, and throwing of the garter and bouquet that she'd always associated with wedding receptions were invited. It'd be in stark contrast to the more traditional lunch time reception they'd be doing for family, friends, and a wide selection of various dignitaries and royals from other countries.

"That is what caffeine is for," Caroline reminded as she looked back at her reflection. "Plus we'll have a few hours to rest." And change.

"Alcohol helps too," Rebekah pointed out with a wink.

"I think alcohol actually makes you sleepy," Bonnie replied but Caroline barely heard the two of them discussing that.

"I think it'd be a good idea for you two to go line up for the cars now," Liz butted in from the doorway. She could sense that her daughter needed a moment and was grateful when the others filed out, leaving the two of them alone.

Caroline could hear the crowds of people waiting outside of the palace for even a glimpse of the dress, seen the few pans of the gatherings along the streets all the way to the cathedral on the TV before her mother had turned it off. She knew that her and Klaus' approval rating was high. The nation liked the mix of tradition and progress that he was doling out, were charmed by her presence whenever she went to any function. But knowing that and seeing the reality of what it all meant were two very different things.

"You always wanted a big wedding," her mother murmured as she clasped hold of her hands, squeezing them gently.

"I think this is beyond my expectations of big, mom," Caroline laughed, pleased that her mother did as well, taking some of the edge off. "I still can't believe I'm here." Even in her wildest dreams she hadn't seen this outcome.

She'd only wanted love, to find someone who loved her and that she loved as well, who wouldn't walk out the door eight years later because it'd all turned out to be a mistake. She wanted an equal, who thought she was beautiful, smart, sexy, and king all at once. A person who saw all of her little faults and loved them, which she'd learned different than simply tolerating them. Someone who pushed her to be her best, who believed in her, and didn't stifle the person she was but helped her shine instead. Someone she could do all of that for in return.

She had found all of that in Klaus and she wasn't going to give him up because of the extra stress that came with becoming Queen. They would work together, support one another, and there would be bumps along the way, but Caroline was confident they would make it through it.

"Ready to walk me down the aisle?" Caroline asked, squeezing her mother's hands one more time.

"I wouldn't be wearing these heels if I wasn't," Liz pointed out, bringing out another laugh and Caroline hugged her mom hard, so thankful to have here there. "Enough hugging. Let's go show everyone what they've been waiting for."

Caroline took another deep breath and nodded, ready to start the next chapter of her life.

* * *

Klaus smiled over at Henrik who was trying not to fidget as he stood at the front of the cathedral with his two older brothers. He had chosen Kol as his best man and his younger brother as the ring bearer, but didn't want Henrik lost in the sea of other men stationed in a semi circle around them as they waited for the procession to begin. Kol and he were dressed in military uniforms, Kol's black representing the air forces that he was currently in, while Klaus wore the traditional blue ones of an admiral for the navy. He'd done one year with them before heading off to college but becoming King had spurred his rank forward in all of the branches of the military. A crown topped his head, the one his grandfather had worn for his own wedding, signalling that he was already King, his coronation having happened three months prior. Henrik was in a black suit like the other grooms who didn't hold any sort of ranking.

The cathedral was packed full of family, friends, and various dignitaries that had been invited. The official press for the royal family was stationed at a variety of angles, helping to bring the ceremony live to nation.

Klaus flexed his right hand as a silence fell over the crowd. He could hear the doors at the back opening and it took all of his effort to not turn around. Tradition forbid it. But the urge to see Caroline was overwhelming. The others in her bridal party would come in after her, a spin on what she was used to seeing, but it was the way royal weddings had happened for centuries.

"Wait until you see her," Kol murmured, the mirth in his brother's voice causing him to smile.

"She's really pretty, Nik," Henrik added.

Their statements only added to Klaus's desire to finally see her. They had been apart for the last day, forbidden to see one another on the morning of the wedding. He'd even moved into one of the smaller castles for the day with the rest of his groomsmen and Henrik who hadn't wanted to be left behind with the girls. Klaus had gotten used to falling asleep beside her every night, waking up to her in bed by him every morning the last few months. It made waking up to an empty bed disconcerting, throwing him off for a few moments that morning before he remembered where he was and that it was his wedding day.

He'd never given much thought to getting married before Caroline. It was something he'd most likely eventually do but he'd never been in a rush for it. But then he'd met her and almost lost her and suddenly marriage had become something to look forward to instead of an event he was putting off indefinitely.

Klaus felt her hand touch his, letting him know he could look to his left to see her. Caroline's smile had always been one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen, but today it seemed to be shining even brighter than before, even if it was hidden a bit behind her veil. Pretty didn't even quite encompass Caroline in that moment. Klaus wasn't sure there was a word that could adequately describe just how gorgeous she looked to him in that moment.

He nodded to Liz who stood beside her daughter before they all looked over to face the bishop. Caroline squeezed his hand tightly as the Bishop spoke, reciting a passage from the bible that they had chosen before her mother proceeded to give her away. Vows, rings, and a kiss followed, uniting them in marriage in front of the people that they loved.

His mother stepped forward with the tiara next. Glittered with diamonds and intricately woven, Klaus carefully placed it on top of Caroline's head, watching her take a few small breaths to keep from crying. He kissed her forehead once it was securely on before linking his right hand with her left.

They turned to face the crowd, standing tall as the Bishop announced their marriage and unity, before they proceeded back down the aisle and out to the crowds waiting to catch a glimpse of the two of them together. Loud cheers came in all directions as they stepped out of the cathedrals doors, smiling and waving for all to see as the rest of the wedding party made their way out behind them. Cameras flashed as a chorus of 'Long live the King and Queen,' began and Klaus squeezed Caroline's hand tightly before gently kissing her to the delight of everyone watching.

"Are you ready for this, love?" Klaus murmured as he brushed her cheek.

"I am if you are," Caroline replied, smiling at him as their foreheads touched.

"I always will be if I have you by my side," Klaus told her before kissing her again.

"Let's go you two," Kol urged them. "Henrik and I are done waiting for cake."

They broke apart laughing and looked over at the two brothers who were eagerly nodding. "The promise of cake was the only thing that got him to actually wear the suit," Klaus explained as they headed down the steps and toward the waiting cars that would take them back to the castle for the first reception.

"Don't worry, you can wear whatever you'd like tonight," Caroline assured the seven year old who let out a sigh of relief before being ushered into the car with Esther and her mom.

It took some maneuvering to get Caroline back into the car with the dress but once the doors closed she rested her head against Klaus' shoulder, grateful for it to be just the two of them and their driver for a few minutes. She wanted to simply soak in the fact that they were married before they headed off to the next event.

"I love you," Klaus murmured and Caroline smiled at that, looking down at their clasped hands before reiterating the words to him, confident that they could take on whatever life threw at them as long as they did it together.

* * *

Five years later, Caroline and Klaus welcome their first child into the world, a son weighing in at 8 pounds 2 ounces, and named after the King's two brothers as Elijah Finn Alexander.

Or Eli to his family.

Long may they reign.


End file.
